 | |
| Abbreviation | JRA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founders | Marc Erlbaum, Rabbi Menachem Schmidt |
| 26-2578017 | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, United States |
Region |
Greater Philadelphia area, South Jersey |
| Services | Helps individuals and families in Greater Philadelphia coping with food insecurity by providing a monthly delivery of kosher pantry staples and other essential items. Volunteers assist in packaging the food and other items and hand-delivering them to community members. |
Executive Director |
Jodi Roth-Saks |
Board Chair |
Bill Novick |
Budget |
$2.1 m |
Employees (2023) |
8 |
Volunteers (2023) |
15,500 |
| Website | www |
The Jewish Relief Agency (JRA) is a charitable organization and independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization). The Jewish Relief Agency brings together individuals of all means, ages and backgrounds to address our community’s physical, social and spiritual needs, satisfying our unique desire to take care of each other and do good in the world. Built on the foundation of our monthly food distribution, our programs relieve the pangs of hunger, bring meaning to our recipients and volunteers, and build a caring and connected community.
JRA's work is fueled by volunteers who serve those in need in a variety of ways – including, packing and delivering nutritious kosher food and other critical items. JRA volunteers come from many backgrounds, ages, and abilities. This includes a wide range of community organizations including synagogues, churches, schools, summer camps, corporations, affinity groups, and more.
Founding and History
In an attempt to fill the aid gap they saw in the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community, Jewish Relief Agency was founded in September 2000 by Marc Erlbaum and Rabbi Menachem Schmidt. They began with three volunteers serving 19 Russian-speaking families with just one U-Haul truck and food purchased from BJs. Today, JRA serves over 6,200 individuals of all backgrounds in more than 3,400 households across the region.
Services
JRA recipients are eligible for services if their household income is within 150% of the Federal Poverty Level and they live within JRA's service area.
JRA services include the following:
- Monthly Food Assistance: Clients receive a 15 lbs. box of Kosher pantry staples and fresh produce delivered directly to their door each month.
- Food for Children: An additional bag of kid-friendly foods commonly used for breakfast and school lunches is delivered monthly to families with children 18 years old or younger. A 12 lbs. box of fresh produce is also delivered to these families alongside the traditional JRA box of food from June - September.
- Food for Jewish holidays: Four times a year, the JRA food box contains culturally appropriate food items for Purim, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Hanukkah.
- Menstrual Supplies: High-quality menstrual hygiene products are delivered every other month along with the food box.
- Everyday Essentials: Household supplies such as soap, dish detergent, laundry detergent, paper towels, and toilet paper are available by request.
- Kids' apparel for kids under 12 can be requested through a partnership with Cradles to CrayonsPhiladelphia.
- Children's diapers and adult incontinence supplies can be requested through a partnership with the Greater Philadelphia Diaper Bank.
- Seasonally - JRA can provide backpacks and school supplies and holiday gifts.
- Crisis Fund: JRA Recipients in emergency situations may be eligible to receive one time rent or utility assistance through JRA's Crisis Fund.
Volunteer Opportunities
JRA is literally driven by volunteers. With a network of over 15,000 volunteers, JRA relies on volunteers to package all of the food and other essential items at our warehouse in Northeast Philadelphia and hand-deliver them to community members in need. JRA volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, ages, religions, and ethnicities and all come together to give back to our shared community.
JRA's volunteer opportunities include:
- Food Packing during a monthly Food Distribution
- Produce Packing - Volunteers can help sort fresh produce to be included in the food boxes (opportunity is dependent on season)
- JRA Juniors - Families with kids under 10 can volunteer at a kid-friendly pace to pack food using push-carts
- All Ages Packing Shift - Our main food packing program, volunteers join to create a human assembly line filling about 3,400 boxes with food and other essential items such as toilet paper
- Food Deliveries - Volunteers are given a group of addresses to deliver food and other essentials directly to the homes of JRA Recipients. This is a crucial component of JRA's model to be able to eliminate some of the challenges individuals coping with food insecurity may face.
More volunteer opportunities are listed on JRA's website: www.jewishrelief.org.