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By Amy Hyman

As the impact of COVID-19 on Jewish community organizations became apparent, Shalom Austin addressed these growing challenges through convening, resource sharing and funding. Thanks to the tremendous leadership of Phil and Adam Loewy, who challenged the community with a $100,000 matching gift, Shalom Austin launched the COVID-19 Community Response Fund. David Kline provided an additional matching opportunity to challenge the YAD community to participate in this important initiative.  

Through the generosity of the Austin Jewish community, the fund raised over $255,000 in unrestricted dollars from 336 donors, including $20,350 as an allocation from the 2020 Shalom Austin Annual Campaign grants process.  

The purpose of this fund was to swiftly and effectively address the most critical evolving needs faced by community members and partner institutions; ensuring at-risk populations had their basic needs met such as food, housing and utilities; increasing access to mental health and social services; expanding financial assistance to meet a growing demand; providing operating capital to help local congregations and organizations to survive; and stabilizing Jewish communal workforces. 

Taking guidance from Jewish Federations of North America, Abby Rapoport, Shalom Austin board chair, and Rick Rosenberg, chair elect, convened a task force of leaders with broad community representation to analyze a community needs assessment conducted in April and develop the grantmaking process and criteria for allocating funds raised.  

Task force members included Barb Altman (Grants Committee co-chair), Martin Berson (strategic planning chair), Scott Grossfeld (Finance Committee member), Seth Halpern (incoming campaign chair), Phil Loewy (Shalom Austin Women’s Philanthropy chair), Lenny Krasnow (Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service Committee member), Courtney Manuel (campaign chair), Jeff Newberg (community leader), Diane Radin (Jewish Foundation co-chair), Alex Robinson (Grants Committee co-chair), Debbie Rudy (community leader) and Susan Zane Epstein (community leader).  

In reflecting on this important convening role of Shalom Austin and the support from many partner organizations that signed a community letter promoting the fund, Rapoport stated, “In these unprecedented times, it was critical that we come together as a community to address both the seen and unforeseen challenges faced by the entirety of Austin’s Jewish community. Our greatest strength resides in our collective belief that we must work together to meet the needs of the most vulnerable among us, while helping to support the critical work performed by our various Jewish institutions.”  

When reviewing the grant requests in October, the task force ultimately decided that severity of financial need was the top criteria for resource allocation and analyzed each organization or program within the following categories: camp, schools, other community organizations and congregations. Unrestricted support was provided to the camps, schools and other community organization applicants while the task force opted to provide funds to congregations designated for their Clergy Discretionary Fund to ensure that the most vulnerable congregants were taken care of.  

Laura Corman, Congregation Beth Israel board president, said, “I am thankful for the generous grants that Beth Israel received from Shalom Austin’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. It never occurred to me that in addition to the grant that CBI received for the Child Development Center, we would also receive a grant for our Clergy’s Discretionary Funds. To me this is another reminder that Shalom Austin is working to support all aspects of Austin’s Jewish community during this very difficult time.” 

Although Shalom Austin JFS did not receive an unrestricted allocation from the task force, over $66,000 has been raised to support additional Emergency Financial Assistance requests for support in paying rent and utilities primarily, including $20,000 from the city of Austin. This is in addition to the $30,000 that was budgeted through the Shalom Austin Annual Campaign, therefore more than tripling the funds needed to address the growing number of requests. Philip and Donna Berber’s foundation, Glimmer Austin, generously provided a $15,000 grant to ensure holistic support of Jewish senior adults served by Shalom Austin.  

In recognizing that the financial impact of COVID-19 is far from over, the task force opted to hold back 10 percent, totaling $25,855, to be rolled into the 2021 Shalom Austin grants process taking place in winter 2021. 

To contribute to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Shalom Austin is still accepting donations. Please visit www.shalomaustin.org/commresponse. ■

COVID-19 Community Response Fund Task Force

Abby Rapoport & Rick Rosenberg, Co-Chairs

Barb Altman, Grants Committee Co-Chair

Martin Berson, Strategic Planning Chair

Scott Grossfeld, Finance Committee Member

Seth Halpern, Incoming Campaign Chair

Phil Loewy, Women’s Philanthropy Chair

Lenny Krasnow, Shalom Austin JFS Committee Member

Courtney Manuel, Campaign Chair

Jeff Newberg, Community Leader

Diane Radin, Jewish Foundation Co-Chair

Alex Robinson, Grants Committee Co-Chair

Debbie Rudy, Community Leader

Susan Zane Epstein, Community Leader

Community Response Fund Allocations

Camps (Day and Overnight)

Camp Gan Israel (Chabad)

Camp Young Judaea

Greene Family Camp

JCamp (Shalom Austin)

Schools (Preschool and Day School)

Austin Jewish Academy

Child Development Center at Congregation Beth Israel

Early Childhood Program (Shalom Austin)

Hebrew Preparatory School

Other Community Organizations

Anti-Defamation League Austin

Austin Jewish Film Festival

Chabad UT

Chabad Young Professionals

Hebrew Free Loan of Austin

Israeli American Council

Moishe House

Shalom Austin

Texas A&M Hillel

Texas Hillel

Synagogues – Rabbi Discretionary Fund

Chabad of Austin

Congregation Agudas Achim

Congregation Beth El

Congregation Beth Israel

Congregation Havurah Shalom

Congregation Kol Halev

Congregation Shalom Rav

Congregation Shir Ami

Congregation Tiferet Israel

Temple Beth Shalom