The Jewish Community Foundation of St. Louis is about you and the causes you hold most dear — whatever they are. Through your philanthropic vision, you can ensure that your dreams and passions continue for generations. The Foundation is backed by Jewish Federation’s century of experience as a trustee of St. Louis Jewish communal funds. It’s professional management and large pool of investments — valued at more than $100 million — provide strong earnings, increasing the impact of your gift on the community. The Jewish Community Foundation is overseen by a Council of community members, with representatives from each of our local beneficiary agencies. These Council members provide insight, feedback and direction for many of the Foundation initiatives. Nowhere else is as well equipped to help you incorporate Jewish values into your philanthropic endeavors.
Women's Philanthropy provides an opportunity for every woman in the St. Louis Jewish community to affirm her Jewish identity and inspire other Jewish women to establish themselves as partners in our community. Women’s Philanthropy programming is ongoing throughout the year and provides opportunities for leadership and giving.
The St. Louis Area Chapter of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is a women’s volunteer group that motivates and inspires its members to: • Strengthen their partnership with Israel by supporting pace setting health care, education, youth institutes, and land development. • Ensure Jewish continuity through education and support of its Young Judaea youth programs. • Advocate health awareness through education. • Act as a force on social issues that impact upon us as American Jewish women. • Promote personal growth through enrichment opportunities and education.
Gateway is one of 34 chapters of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, located in St. Louis, Missouri (est. 1976). The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members--honorably discharged veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction. PVA uses that expertise to be the leading advocate for: 1) Quality health care for our members 2) Research and education addressing spinal cord injury or dysfunction 3) Benefits available as a result of our members' military service 4) Civil rights and opportunities which maximize the independence of our members To enable PVA to continue to honor this commitment, we must recruit and retain members who have the experience, energy, dedication, and passion necessary to manage the organization and ensure adequate resources to sustain the programs essential for PVA to achieve its mission.
For more than 30 years, the Festival has continued to grow and excel in its presentations to the community. Throughout the challenges & tensions in our modern world, Festival events remain a safe and respectful place where people of every race, religion and age gather to hear wonderful speakers and entertainers, share thoughts and express opinions. Our audiences range in size from 200 to 2,000. Author programs run approximately 60-90 minutes: 30-40 minutes of prepared remarks by the author or panel, plus 20-40 minutes for an audience question and answer period. Authors speak from a stage, with theatre lighting, sound system & microphones, plus microphones in the audience for the Q&A period. Book signings follow each program. We publicize the Festival sponsored literary events throughout the Bi-State area and book authors for interviews with local media. Festival events are coordinated by the J’s (Jewish Community Center) Cultural Arts Department, co-sponsored by more than 57 community organizations, and supported by corporate and individual sponsors. Monies raised from the Festival & literary events go to J scholarships and cultural arts programming for all ages. The J is one of the largest United Way partner agencies serving St. Louis, regardless of race or religion.
Each year, Federation launches a Community Campaign that is the St. Louis Jewish community's largest fundraising effort. Campaign donations are distributed to 30 local and 21 national agencies, programs and services; three international agencies and four targeted programs – to feed the hungry, educate students of all ages, care for the young and old, fight anti-Semitism, promote Jewish culture and support Jews in Israel and around the world. Jewish Federation of St. Louis is part of a network of 157 North American Jewish Federations, known as the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA and formerly United Jewish Communities (UJC). As the community’s central agency, Federation has the capacity to unify the community – to bring together congregations, agencies, day schools and other Jewish groups. To strengthen St. Louis’ connections to Israel, Federation directly links St. Louis to Israel through a Partnership2Gether sister-city program. St. Louis’ sister-city region is Yokneam-Megiddo, Israel, an area southeast of Haifa. Federation is led by hundreds of volunteers from all sectors of the community, who serve on boards and committees, raise funds, manage endowments, respond to emergencies, evaluate needs and distribute charitable dollars to Federation’s family of agencies, programs and services. In 2008, Federation implemented a new governance model, downsizing the Board of Directors and establishing a more broadly representative Board of Trustees.
VISION Empowering youth to use a strong foundation that will assist in developing skills academically, scocially and mentally while overcoming inner city obstacles to ensure the obtainment of a degree, while providing and creating concrete platforms for future youth and members to follow.
JF&CS provides both mental health and social services within the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan area. The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry, which is a part of JF&CS, is located at 10601 Baur Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63132.
Coat-A-Kid knows that a coat can be the difference between a child that attends school, and one who will not venture out in the cold to attend school. We believe that education is the way to break out of the poverty cycle and that school attendance is the key.
A local St. Louis non-profit organization with a focus on books and students. RTL is dedicated to improving underprivileged students' educational opportunities by providing books to them for free. RTL shares the love of reading and joy of book ownership with students in the St. Louis area. It is what we do best. Educational success provides a gateway for underprivileged children to overcome the cycle of poverty. It makes St. Louis a better place for all of us. Let's get St. Louis reading! Quote from former SLPS principal, " If they cannot read, they cannot learn. Reading is the foundation for all educational success."