Upgrading our Jewish Social Safety Net: A Special Report from UJA Federation

How UJA is transforming the way we help the vulnerable.

COVID-19 caused a surge of need in Toronto. Our Jewish social service agencies faced significant new demand. In the words of one executive director, “It’s a tsunami.” Our agencies are rising to the challenge, but more is clearly required. In response, UJA launched an Emergency Campaign for Community Resilience. It included as a core priority ensuring that no vulnerable Jew in our city would be turned away due to a lack of community resources. The campaign was the basis for UJA’s Resilience Fund, $7 million in new investment for our social service agency partners. The Fund is transforming the process of how we serve community members in need. It could change the future of social service delivery in Toronto. This brief report outlines how the program upgrades our Jewish social safety net.