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Get Involved with Tzedek Council

| Bring Lunches to Jelani House Shelter for New Moms |
| SF Black-Jewish Unity Group | Action Nights to Combat Voter Suppression | 
| Become a Youth Advocate |

HOMELESSNESS & FOOD INSECURITY

Bring Lunches to Jelani House Shelter for New Moms
Partner: Homeless Prenatal Program at Jelani House
 
What is Jelani House?  Jelani House is a transitional housing shelter for new mothers experiencing homelessness, which opened in the Bayview District in February 2020. Our partner HPP (Homeless Prenatal Program) facilitates programs at Jelani House which focus on creating a healing home that fosters stability while residents acclimate to motherhood. These women need specialized support, as homelessness poses significant risk to birth outcomes.  HPP offers health, parenting and financial classes along with housing assistance with the aim of boosting the women and their children into permanent housing and a better future.  

How can you help?  The volunteer’s responsibility is to drop off lunch on Wednesdays between 11—11:30am. Please plan on bringing a main course, vegetable/fruit salad, and dessert to feed 15 women. The items may be cooked at home or purchased (we are unable to offer reimbursement). Your coordinator will be in touch with reminders and more information a few days prior. 
“The meals prepared by the congregants at Temple Emanuel are the best meals of the week!” – HPP Founder, Martha Ryan

RACIAL JUSTICE 

Join the SF Black-Jewish Unity Group
Partner: The SF Black-Jewish Unity Group
2nd Thursday of each month; To sign up or for more information, email Georgina Garcia

More about the SF Black-Jewish (& Allies) Unity Group? In 2016, Rabbi Beth Singer collaborated with leaders within the African American community in San Francisco to create the SF Black-Jewish Unity Group. Since then, the two communities have been working together to fight injustice and bring about change. How can you help? All are welcome to join the group. As of now, the Unity Group will not hold in-person meetings. Monthly meetings have moved to ZOOM every second Thursday of the month from, 6pm – 7:15 pm.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & ADVOCACY

Sign Up for Phone & Text Banking Action Nights
Partner: The Reform Jewish Movement’s Every Voice, Every Vote 
Wednesdays, 3:00 -5:00 pm (PST) 

What is Every Voice, Every Vote? A nonpartisan effort to strengthen our democracy by encouraging everyone to participate in the U.S. election and ensuring that Reform Jewish values are represented in the public square.  

How can you help? As Jews and Americans, we are obligated to ensure policies at every level bring us closer to achieving a world where all people experience wholeness, justice, and compassion. The election is less than 50 days away, and in-person voting has already started in some states. These Action Nights will include a brief introduction to our campaign, opportunity to celebrate our work, learn how to use voter engagement tool and will then engage in that work together. 

Become a Youth Advocate
Partner: Larkin Street Youth Services
October-November 2020 
 
What is Larkin Street? Since 1984, Larkin Street Youth Services has given more than 75,000 young people a safe place to rebuild their lives, providing housing, education, employment training, and health and wellness supports to help these young people get off the street for good. Calls and support for these direct funds provide critical and lifesaving resources to ensure young people, who are disproportionally youth of color and/or LGBTQ+, have the supports they need to recover from the health and economic impacts of one of the most significant pandemics in our lifetimes. 
Investing in young people works. Through increased funding over the last four years, youth homelessness has decreased by 20%. We cannot merely sustain support; we must expand to end youth homelessness.  

How can you help? Use your voice to ensure young people experiencing homelessness have access to housing, workforce development, and behavioral health. You can ensure our collective voices are heard by responding to specific calls for outreach to public representatives and amplifying content on social media to spread awareness to those in your networks. This is an  ongoing with multiple engagement opportunities. 

Year-round Collection Bins
We have traditionally held clothing and household collection bins year-round at Emanu-El for St. Anthony’s and non-perishable food collection bins for both the San Francisco Food Bank and Jewish Family and Children Services. During COVID, donations are not currently being accepted. Please sign up here for details.