URGENT ACTION NEEDED – SUPPORT THE CRISIS FUND TODAY AND HELP PROTECT VULNERABLE FAMILIES
Support the JFS Crisis Fund Today!
Dear JFS Community,
The past few weeks have been particularly challenging as we navigate the impact of the new Administration’s Executive Orders. For 45 years, JFS has stood alongside the most vulnerable in our community, embodying the principle of Welcoming the Stranger.
On January 24, the Department of State directed the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants to halt all refugee resettlement activities and announced the suspension of the bipartisan U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This vital program, established by the 1980 Refugee Act, has provided safety and a new start for some of the world’s most persecuted individuals. Helping refugees is deeply rooted in JFS’s history. Our work expanded significantly during the 1980s and 1990s when we helped resettle Jewish families from the former Soviet Union.
The recent changes by the Federal Administration threaten not only those fleeing danger but also individuals and families already in our community. The nationwide suspension of resettlement activities has created a situation where agencies like ours are no longer reimbursed for the critical services and goods we provide to refugee families.
At a time when many are searching for ways to help, JFS reaffirms its commitment to supporting immigrants and refugees, older adults, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and other historically marginalized groups. Our mission and core values compel us to ensure no child or family is left behind.
Despite these challenges, JFS will continue providing services, collaborating with partners, and relying on the strength of our community to carry this work forward. A big thank you to all the faith organizations that have already stepped up to help including our Synagogue, Church, and Mosque partners and to the many individuals already answering the call. Here’s how you too can help:
WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Stay informed: Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on JFS initiatives. Click here to sign up.
Volunteer: JFS relies on over 250 active volunteers. Click here and sign up to volunteer.
Spread the word: Follow JFS on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram to amplify our message.
Advocate: Join our partner, the MIRA Coalition, to support initiatives like the Safe Communities Act and the Immigrant Legal Defense Act, ensuring fair treatment for immigrants in Massachusetts.
Participate: Attend upcoming events, including our JFS Seize the Dream fundraiser, to connect with others who share this mission. Click here to learn more.
Donate- Support the Crisis Response Fund: Your financial support is critical to our efforts. Immediate funding needs include:
Legal and Community Protection:
- Protecting U.S. Citizen Children – Ensure that U.S. Citizen children have the necessary paperwork in place, including U.S. Passports.
- Partnering with the Police to Safeguard the Community – Bring the police and community together to ensure safety for all.
- Know Your Rights Workshops – Multilingual workshops and information dissemination so community members know their rights.
- Data Scrubbing of Records with Immigration Status – Ensure that data systems cannot be exploited to harm community members.
- Acceleration of Citizenship Applications – Pay to expedite the review process to achieve Citizenship quickly.
- Community Announcement System – Use technology to alert community members when danger is near.
- Immigration Legal Support – Provide support for legal appeals and defense against misidentification.
- Active Bystander Training – More Active Bystanders need to be trained to respond to increasing incidents of hate and antisemitism in the community.
Housing:
- Faith-based Welcoming (partnerships) – Facilitate recruiting organizations to provide shelter to vulnerable families.
- Faith-based Welcoming (services) – Help adapt houses of worship to accommodate the needs of families.
- Welcome More Families – Help more vulnerable families find stable housing and prevent homelessness.
Basic Needs:
- SNAP Benefits Reduction – Supplemental support to ensure that low- income families do not go hungry.
- Immigrant Loan Fund – No interest loans for immigrant families facing reductions in benefits.
Thank you for standing with JFS and the individuals we serve. Your support—whether through action, advocacy, or contribution—strengthens our community and ensures that opportunity remains within reach for everyone. In these hard times I find inspiration and my own call to action in these words from our holy text:
“Tzedek, tzedek tirdof” (צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדּוֹף) – “Justice, justice shall you pursue.”
— Deuteronomy 16:20
With gratitude,
Lino Covarrubias, CEO
Donate to the Crisis Fund Today!