Ongoing Crisis Response Help Here
Help us help the community DONATE NOW
Ongoing Crisis Response Click Here
Our community, and much of the rest of the world, has suffered from unprecedented crises in recent years. The Ukraine crisis, the Afghan refugee crisis, the ongoing teen mental health crisis, and the 10/27 Synagogue shooting are all very real and painful for many people. If you would like help for yourself, or if you would like to help others who are struggling through these ongoing crisis we can assist you.
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. In the months since, over one million people have been displaced from their homes and communities.
With the crisis unfolding, family and friends in the United States have sought help and support from JFCS and our partner organizations.
We are here for you—for anyone who is struggling with this situation in any way. If you need to talk to someone about what’s happening, we can connect you with resources for counseling services. If you need information about how to help a loved one in Ukraine or elsewhere, we can provide resources on how to do that safely. If there are pressing needs that arise while you’re waiting for more information to come out of Ukraine, we can connect you with organizations providing emergency relief services on the ground there now.
We will continue monitoring the events in Ukraine and sending our thoughts and support to the Ukrainian people, while serving those affected here in our community.
The United States government has granted 20,000 Afghan interpreters and their families special immigrant visas to bring them to the U.S., and JFCS is helping with their arrivals to our community.
As we welcome Afghan refugees to Pittsburgh, we need your help. The families will be arriving locally without their worldly possessions. Help us help them build new lives here in Pittsburgh through donations, in-kind donations and volunteer support.
Please contact Alina Harbourne at 412-439-3227 or aharbourne@jfcspgh.org if you are available to help.
For more information on how JFCS is helping Afghan Refugees in Pittsburgh, click here.
We believe that every refugee family deserves to live in a safe, affordable neighborhood. But for many refugees, this is an impossible dream. Refugees arriving to this country do not have credit or the rental history that many landlords require. When you rent a refugee their first home, you are helping them start the path to a new life of dignity and self-sufficiency.
Your support makes a tremendous difference in the lives of refugees who have endured extraordinary hardship.
If you’re a landlord or household who can help out, please contact Ivonne Smith-Tapia at ismithtapia@jfcspgh.org!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning of an accelerating mental health crisis among teenagers. A recent survey revealed that more than 4 in 10 teens report that they feel “persistently sad or hopeless,” and 1 in 5 say they have contemplated suicide.
In Fall 2020, JFCS launched UpStreet as a brief support center for teens and young adults – ages 12-22.
UpStreet provides barrier free mental health services to teens, young adults, their parent and caregivers to meet emerging mental health needs as they arise before they develop into crisis.
Learn more at UpStreetPgh.org
In the wake of the shooting that took place at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, we at JFCS have been working with our community partners to provide help for those affected.
We have reached out to families and community members who were directly impacted by the shooting to offer resources and assistance.
We are committed to providing a safe space for our community members, and we know that you are all doing your best to make sure your loved ones feel secure too. We also know that this can be a challenging time for many of us, especially if you are experiencing stress or anxiety following the shooting. We have several ways that you can take care of yourself: