NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN NEW YORK SECTION

Programs

1. Hunger programover one million new yorkers have difficulty affording food, including elderly people who live alone, the working poor who cannot afford to pay for both rent and food, and the homeless who live in shelters or on the streets. In response, our weekly food pantry provides a three-day supply of both fresh produce and shelf-stable groceries for families in need, and our twice-weekly community kitchen provides a hot, freshly prepared meal for all who need it. In fy'25, our hunger program served nearly 300,000 meals to more than 2,500 new yorkers.our hunger program is about more than just food. Our dedicated volunteers give our program an unmatched level of personal interaction and service, ensuring that the experience is warm, welcoming, and dignified for all of our clients. Our hunger program coordinator and caseworker learns about our clients' lives and connects them to programs, services, and benefits to help them break the cycle of poverty and food insecurity, addressing challenges like housing, employment, and health insurance.

   $622,976 spent
   36% of program spending

2. Council lifetime learningeach year, more than 300 seniors participate in a broad range of programming offered by council lifetime learning (cll), which includes everything from art and exercise classes to engaging lectures and discussion groups. Cll promotes healthy and creative aging, using arts and cultural programming to engage and empower older adults. Cll helps seniors defy the stereotypes associated with growing old and continue learning and growing into their 70s, 80s, and beyond. The current epidemic of loneliness has hit our oldest old especially hard in nyc. Cll addresses this problem head on, helping seniors create community and connection and building their support network. Our cll social worker helps our clients deal with the inevitable challenges of aging as they arise, leading support groups and providing individual counseling, resources, and referrals.

   $479,662 spent$88,956 earned by the program
   28% of program spending

3. Children's programmingback 2 school store - our annual back 2 school store (b2ss) provides children with everything they need to go back to school with pride, confidence, and enthusiasm. Every summer, ncjw ny's council house is transformed into a very special "pop up" department store, where each child "shops" for a brand-new outfit (shirt, pants, sneakers, socks, parka, hat, and gloves) as well as a backpack filled with school supplies, all entirely free of charge. B2ss is uniquely impactful because the children are empowered to choose each item themselves, based on their own tastes and styles, with the help of their own "personal shopper" volunteer. The power of choice, without any worry about price tags, is an experience more affluent children take for granted but one these children rarely, if ever, have. B2ss also provides informational resources from public and private agencies to help parents support their family's health, learning, and growth. In fy'25, the b2ss served 316 children. Our children's literacy work aims to engage children in a lifelong love of books and reading, thereby helping to close the gap in school performance for economically disadvantaged children. Our…

   $170,360 spent
   10% of program spending

4. Other program: 1) lunch, interaction, nurturing, and companionship (linc) - linc is an innovative day program that engages adults suffering from memory loss and dementia through art, music, and recreational activities in an intimate, controlled environment. The program operates three times a week, involving both elders and their caregivers. Far more than a respite care or daycare program, linc provides individualized attention and meets each client where they are, modeling positive interaction for caregivers. Linc stimulates participants and encourages positive self-expression, improving their mood and function throughout the day and the week. Linc is an intimate program by design, serving a roster of 15 to 20 participants at any given time. 2) pregnancy loss support program - plsp utilizes professionally trained volunteers to provide telephone counseling and to facilitate in-person and virtual support groups for parents who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn death. All of our volunteers have experienced a loss themselves, so they can speak from experience to grieving parents, and at the same time continue their own healing process through service to others. Last…

   $434,321 spent$3,106 earned by the program
   25% of program spending

The 4 programs described on its FY2024 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $1,707,319.