Page 1 - The Jewish Voice - September '23

VOL. 13 NO. 9 www.seabreezepublications.com SEPTEMBER 2023

Community Contributes Record $55 Million to

Jewish Federation to Address Rising Affordability

Concerns, Antisemitism, and Growing Population

One of the largest nonprofits in Palm Beach County, Jewish the community. Additionally, multi-year commitments have impact by creating new endowments at Federation’s William A.
Federation of Palm Beach County announced that several positioned Federation and its network of partners to plan for Meyer Jewish Community Foundation. These commitments,
thousands of local community members contributed a record tomorrow. For its many accomplishments, Federation is a amounting to nearly $26 million, will unfold in the long term as
$55 million during the organization’s 2023 campaign year, nominee for Nonprofit First’s coveted Hats Off Large Nonprofit they are funded by donors’ estates.
marking a tremendous 31 percent increase from $42 million in of the Year award. Federation also reports an increase in targeted giving to
2022. This remarkable growth in donations signifies Federation’s Considered the local Jewish community’s central philanthropic partner organizations, Federation programs, and emergency
commitment to addressing diverse and growing needs, both organization and “City Hall,” Federation continues to focus on relief campaigns. Notably, nearly 50 percent of contributions to
local and global, as well as the Palm Beach Jewish community’s future planning. This commitment is reflected in our prioritizing the 2023 annual campaign came from women who generously
significant recent and anticipated population growth. multi-year giving to enhance future Annual Campaigns, which support Federation through Women’s Philanthropy.
The 2023 Campaign saw a notable increase in people saw a remarkable 75 percent increase compared to the previous “This astounding amount, contributed in such a short period
creating new endowments, solidifying enduring support for year. Federation is also providing opportunities to make a lasting of time, is truly a testament to the dedication and generosity of
Jewish Palm Beach,” shared Michael Hoffman, president and
$1.2 Million Allocated for Mental CEO, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. “As we are in

Health Services in South Florida Community Contributes Record $55 Million on page 2

Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones and Florida State Rep. Judea Sisterhood
Mike Caruso collaborated for the second consecutive year to
secure $1,200,000 in funding for the Jewish Family Services Studies Women
Affordable Behavioral Health Collaboration, which includes
Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service (Alpert JFS),
Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services (Rales JFS), in Torah
Goodman Jewish Family Services (Goodman JFS), and Jewish
Community Services of South Florida (JCS). The Tri-County
Jewish Family Services Mental Health Collaboration, which was More than 50 women joined the Sisterhood Summer
created last year, will utilize the funding to serve low-income, Social and participated in Temple Judea’s first class
underprivileged individuals in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Danielle Hartman Marc Hopin of the year-long series Women in the Torah, taught by
Beach counties with mental healthcare. Rabbi Rose Durbin.
For the second consecutive year, these funds will provide need will receive care. The target demographic for the initiative
mental health services to 420 new low-income people dealing is low-income, underprivileged individuals who are uninsured
with mental health challenges or crises. This number represents or underinsured and unable to pay the costs associated with
an increase over the current year of 20 percent or 6,720 additional receiving mental healthcare. Funding will enable all four
visits/service hours. According to Mental Health America, Florida agencies to hire additional qualified clinicians who have
ranks 48th nationwide on access to mental health care. The study specialized training in areas such as trauma, domestic violence,
also reported that 633,000 Florida adults with mental illness and substance use, and LGBTQ+.
116,000 youth with depression had unmet treatment needs. “We are pleased to collaborate once again with our JFS
“Mental health is not a partisan issue, it impacts everyone,” partners for this Tri-County Mental Health initiative, which will
said Caruso. “We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand provide our communities with much-needed affordable access to
and ignore the problem because it is not going away and I am mental health care,” said Marc Hopin, CEO of Alpert JFS. “At
more than grateful to these agencies for the hard work they do Alpert JFS, we continue to see huge increases in people coming
every single day.” to us with mental health needs, many of whom, without our
“I am so pleased to be a part of this tremendous coalition agency’s help, are unable to afford these services. Thanks to the
and help in any way I can,” said Jones. “It’s refreshing to see support and advocacy of our legislative champions, our agency
agencies come to us in the legislature with innovative and and its partners will be able to reach and respond to thousands
progressive ways to address critical issues in our communities.” of additional people experiencing a mental health crisis.”
With over $1 million in funding, the agencies will be able “I want to thank our legislative champions. We are so
to offer a sliding scale fee structure to ensure that all clients in fortunate to have such strong advocates of our programs
in the state Legislature that
are once again committing
to serve low-income and
underprivileged individuals
in South Florida,” added
Danielle Hartman, president
and CEO of Rales JFS.
“These dollars will be life-
changing for so many who
would otherwise go without Judea Sisterhood Studies on page 6
critical services.”