Focus & Fight: A Call to End Poverty

The current economic recession is testing our community and families. Applications for food stamps and food bank usage are on the rise. Unemployment is up. The need for our Jewish community to come together to address poverty in our community has never been greater. For the second year in a row, the Jewish Federation spearheaded “Focus and Fight: A Call to End Poverty” by the Jewish community.

Focus and Fight is our community’s response to the crushing burden of poverty too many families and individuals feel. Jewish organizations and individuals are working collectively to alleviate poverty through a series of coordinated events and activities.

• Mitzvah Match: The Mitzvah Match program pairs area synagogues and schools with nonprofit agencies in need of household goods, clothing and supplies for the clients they serve.
  • Ongoing projects: Professional Resource Bank. Jewish Family Service is currently looking for doctors and lawyers to donate their time and services to clients in need.
• Curriculum for Educators, Teachers and Parents: Curriculum focused on poverty and the obligation to help repair the world has been developed for our Seattle Jewish community. This anti-poverty curriculum is for children from pre-school age to high-school age.
• Advocacy: Sign up for the Washington State Jewish Action Center to get updated information about ways to fight poverty.
  
• Speakers Bureau: In conjunction with Real Change, the Jewish Federation is helping put a human face on poverty. Highly trained advocates from the Real Change Speaker’s Bureau are sharing their stories of homeless and living in distress.
• The Greater Seattle Jewish Business Network is a LinkedIn group for Seattle Jewish professionals. It was created to help members of our local Jewish community network with each other to support job searches and hiring. Online networking is complemented by bi-monthly meetings, which feature speakers, consultants and other job-related resources.
• Resources on Poverty: Website links to poverty eradication organizations, and community reflections.

Focus and Fight 2009 Sponsors

Anti-Defamation League, Cardozo Society of Washington State, Caroline Kline Galland Center, Congregation Beth Shalom, Evergreen Region BBYO, Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, Hillel: The Foundation of Jewish Life at the UW, Jconnect Seattle, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, JTNews, Kadima, Kol HaNeshamah, Maimonides Society of Washington State, National Council of Jewish Women, Northwest Yeshiva High School, Rodef Tzedek, Seattle Hebrew Academy, Seattle Jewish Community School, Stroum Jewish Community Center, Temple Beth Am, Temple Beth Hatfiloh, Temple Beth Or, Temple B'nai Torah, Temple De Hirsch Sinai, Washington State Jewish Historical Society, Women’s Philanthropy and Young Leadership of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.