Updates, Summer 2016

There's so much going on these days at National Council of Jewish Women New York. We hope you'll take a look! 
In This Email
Volunteer Highlight









S ue Plastrik

We are so pleased to honor Sue as "Member of the Year." She joined us in 1969 and has a long history of taking progressive action, including going on a fact-finding mission to apartheid South Africa. For the past 5 years, she has co-chaired HIPPY 
(Home Instruction for Parents of Pre School Youngsters).
Congratulations, Sue! We're lucky to have you. 
BECOME A MEMBER
NCJW NY has been a membership organization since 1894. Joining is the best way to show your support, take advantage of our programs, and make your voice heard on issues impacting women in New York City. Join over
900 members locally and 95,000 nationally as, together, we advocate for progressive causes. 
From the Executive Director

Dear friends, members, and supporters: 

Summer is here, and although it never gets "lazy" at NCJW NY, we want to take the time to look back on what we've recently accomplished, as well as look forward to some exciting new events.  Council House has been busy: our Food Pantry and Community Kitchen are serving over 700 people  each week; last Spring semester, approximately 500 people attended our 30-plus Council Lifetime Learning classes , including offerings like astronomy, yoga, and figure drawing; 50 people came to our Women's Advocacy Training project, a series where they learned political activism skills like lobbying and using social media; and soon, on August 7,  I am pleased to announce that we'll be hosting the second annual Back 2 School Store  (see below) , an initiative that provides underprivileged New York kids with a brand new wardrobe and school supplies. 

I am also pleased to announce a new website for one of our crucial initiatives: 


The  Pregnancy Loss Support Program (PLSP) utilizes professionally trained volunteers to provide telephone counseling and in-person support groups for parents who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn death. All of our PLSP volunteers have been through the program themselves, so they can speak from personal experience to grieving parents, and, at the same time, continue their own healing process through service to others. Read more.

I hope you'll read the rest of the email, join us at some of our upcoming events, and consider becoming a member, which allows you to participate in all that NCJW NY has to offer! 

Sincerely,
Andrea Salwen Kopel
Executive Director
National Council of Jewish Women New York 
Introducing Topper, our Alzheimer's Therapy Dog

Topper is part of our LINC (Lunch, Interaction, Nurturing, Companionship) program , which provides a stimulating, supportive and joyful atmosphere for those suffering from memory loss. Through the organization Pet Partners, Topper comes to NCJW NY once per month, and everyone loves to see him. Pet therapy has numerous benefits for those with dementia or Alzheimer's, including a lessening of anxiety and increased appetite.  
Read more about our LINC program.
Washington Institute
Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks with members of 
NCJW NY and other sections.

In March, 350 members from NCJW NY and other sections from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., to discuss what's at stake for women in the 2016 elections. Members marched in a silent procession from the U.S. Supreme Court to the U.S. Capitol to deliver hundreds of pocket Constitutions and signed notes to the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Chuck Grassley, asking the Senate to do its job and fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy and honor the Constitution!    Read more.
Back 2 School Store

NCJW NY's Back 2 School Store provides new, proper clothing and supplies to economically disadvantaged kids so that they can begin the new school year charged with excitement. The idea is that having a stylish, new outfit that their families would not otherwise be able to afford will instill a sense of pride and self-satisfaction in the children that will carry over to their approach to their studies, opening a door to achievement.
 
On Sunday, August 7, NCJW NY's Council House will become a department store where kids will shop for free, accompanied by volunteers who serve as personal shoppers. The kids will emerge completely outfitted for going 'Back 2 School,' with a new shirt, pants, socks, underwear, winter coat, and a new backpack in which to place the school supplies and personal care items they also receive. Best of all, they will have chosen the items themselves, a rare treat!    Read more and volunteer on this page.

Thanks to your support, we've raised over $12,000 to help provide these kids with brand new clothes. But there's still time to donate! Please click here to put these kids on the path to achievement. 
Hunger Drive
We recently finished a very successful hunger drive, raising over $23,000 to assist our Food Pantry and Community Kitchen. Thank you so much to everyone who donated! And a special thank you to the anonymous individuals who put up a $10,000 match! You know who you are. 

Over the past year, 41,072 hungry individuals, of all ages, genders, ethnicities, religions and races, came to NCJW NY's building on West 72nd Street. Over 12,000 meals were served in our Community Kitchen, 8% more than in the prior year. Nearly 25% (around 7,500) of those helped by the Food Pantry were children, an increase of 5% over 2014. We expect even more turnout in the future, as there was recently some bad news: states are required to stop providing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits -- known as "food stamps" -- to certain recipients after 3 consecutive jobless months. Yet statistics show that it takes an average of 7 months to find a new job! Approximately 50,000 NYS residents will be affected. 

We are looking ahead to our Fall Hunger Campaign. We want to thank in advance -- and highlight the participation of -- Schwab House, which regularly organizes a drive in its building, last year raising $11,000. If you would like to organize a similar campaign in your building,  please be in touch! 
Goodbye to Elana
This August we will wish farewell to our first-ever Client Services Associate,  Elana Kravitz . Elana began with us last September and has been a friendly and welcoming presence on the first floor of our building this year, telling those who visit about all we have to offer and helping our regular attendees register for classes and groups. She has served as an emissary of NCJW NY, building new partnerships in the community with schools, leading to an intergenerational program , and instituted clothing drives for our  Back 2 School Store. Many of our instructors know Elana as our resident flyer designer. She has shared her well-honed facilitation skills with us and led the Caregivers Support Group with our social worker Letitia Maun. She has also helped to bring the  TEN (Tiered Engagement Network) program to NCJW NY's Food Pantry, expanding our services by offering important referrals to those who visit our food pantry each month. We thank Elana for all of the innovations she had brought to NCJW NY this year, but mostly we will miss her positive attitude and listening ear. We wish her well in her next position!

Elana's employment was through AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. Read more about AVODAH.  upcomingevents
Upcoming Events
07
Aug
Second Annual Back 2 School Store
We outfit kids with brand new clothes and supplies. Please volunteer or donate! 
10AM to 4PM at Council House | event page
06
Sep
CLL Open House
Join us for previews of our upcoming Fall classes.
10AM to 2PM at Council House
22
Sep
Fall Luncheon
Featuring author Ann Hood
12PM at The Harmonie Club | event page
27
Oct
Babies Remembrance
October is Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month;  This event honors babies that we have lost.
6:30PM at Council House