MAZON and Hurricane Sandy
MAZON, A Jewish Response To Hunger is the only national Jewish Organization devoted solely to eradicating hunger in the US and Israel. Founded twenty-eight years ago by Leonard Fine, this (then) grass roots organization, headquartered in Los Angeles, has grown into one of the preeminent hunger fighting groups in the country. As part of The Jewish Justice Round Table, and in concert with all of the leading interfaith hunger- fighters, MAZON (the Hebrew word for sustenance) has become known as a �go to� source for effective leadership and direction in this vital area. While not formed as a disaster emergency response group, or emergency relief organization, MAZON�s over eighty thousand individual donors know that MAZON knows who has �boots on the ground�, and who does what best. They know how to direct donations for disaster relief so that the money goes to work immediately and most effectively.
MAZON grants money to over three hundred various strategic partner agencies around the US annually.
These agencies lead the fight against hunger locally. Within the area served by this newspaper there are over twenty Food Banks, Food Pantries and Food Rescue agencies that are MAZON grantees. These front line hunger fighters not only serve their clients directly, but all of them advocate on their clients� behalf at the local, state and federal government levels. Without government support, hunger will never be erased.
When hurricane Sandy struck our area causing incredible devastation, particularly to the south shore of Long Island and Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens, MAZON received donations from their donors who wanted to help. As a result, additional emergency funds were immediately sent to the following local agencies in our area;
Project Hospitality, Staten Island
Jewish Council of Canarsie, Brooklyn
Island Harvest, Mineola, LI
Neighbors Together, Brooklyn
People to People, Nanuet, Rockland County
Each of these agencies was able to put this money to work as they best saw fit, immediately.
To date, MAZON has granted over seventy million dollars to its grantees to fight to end hunger. In addition, they have forwarded over two million dollars for emergencies in Haiti, New Orleans, Kurdish Iraq, various earthquake and Sumani struck areas and other non-hunger related disaster locations. This year, with the help of their nine hundred and fifty synagogue partners and their over eighty thousand individual donors, they are targeted to grant eight million dollars to those who need to be fed and those who feed them and fight for them by speaking truth to power. MAZON is proud to play a small, but important role in the relief efforts for our neighbors in this area. It is our hope that one day soon, MAZON and all of the others fighting hunger and helping during disasters, can gracefully �go out of business�.
