April Newsletter
NCJW|LA will not let the continuing pandemic stand in the way of our advocacy for the issues and people we care about! Advocacy this year is more critical than ever, so we will be holding our FREE second Virtual NCJW California Lobby Day on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 from 9:00am to 5:30pm.
Our Lobby Day 2021 priorities and bills are strongly connected to our mission of advancing economic justice and equity for low-income women. Before our Virtual Lobby Day, we will hold special zoom training to ensure LA section attendees are familiar with all the bills, learn about the talking points, discuss and assign meeting roles, and much more!
We will have four options for you to join us for one session and get prepared for Lobby Day. Stay tuned for more information!
Here is a glance at our schedule for Lobby Day 2021 (All meetings/gatherings held via Zoom or by phone)
9:00am - 12:00pm: Join other NCJW California advocates to hear from the Executive Director of the legendary Equal Rights Advocates. They will talk about the great coalition they lead. You will also hear from speakers from organizations leading the fight in each of our issue areas and much more! We have almost all of our speakers lined up and they are A-team experts! They include Noreen Farrell- Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates; Jessica Bartholow-Chief of Staff for Senator Nancy Skinner; Shannon Hovis, Director- NARAL Pro-Choice California; Mary Ignatius- Parent Voices Statewide Coordinator; and Kristin Power, Vice President Policy and Advocacy-Alliance for Children's Rights.
12:30pm - 5:30pm: Join other Los Angeles Section advocates for virtual "meetings" (either via Zoom or telephone) with legislators and/or legislative staff from their districts. Each meeting generally lasts for 20-30 minutes. While we encourage everyone to participate in the meeting with their state senator and assembly member, you can attend as many meetings as you like!
For more information about the 2021 Virtual California Lobby Day email: Advocacy or Nabila
Our monthly meetings are NOW ONLINE and are taking place on the 3rd Friday of each month from 2:00–3:15 pm. We will skip our May meeting as we will be deep into Lobby Day. We will meet again in June, STAY TUNED to find our meeting topic and much more!
In the meantime, we encourage you to join us for our Lobby Day 2021 as the bills and issues are VITAL for our Local and State work. To register for Lobby Day click here.
In March 2021 NCJW|LA asked previous recipients of the Emergency COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program how the program had impacted them. Our goal was to keep 80% of our clients in their homes but we were astounded to see that 92% of clients reported still living in their original homes, 5% reported that they had moved but were renting apartments independently, and 3% reported being displaced/moved in with family/friends. From March 24, 2020-March 30, 2021, the program assisted 472 different households and distributed $1,226,912.37.
“I wouldn’t be able to afford my rent had it not been for the rental assistance provided by NCJW. It’s what kept a roof over my head and meant I could afford groceries. It quite literally kept me alive and I am so unbelievably grateful.” -- Rental Assistance Recipient
We are proud of the impact that our Critical Services have had on the people of Los Angeles. We are grateful for the support of our generous donors who made it possible to assist so many. As our county begins to mend, we know that there are still so many still depending on rental assistance programs like the RAP to stay afloat. You can support our emergency RAP and other Critical Services by contributing to our efforts to Keep Los Angeles Housed and Clothed!
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated job displacement and unemployment trends – precipitated by advancements in technology and automation. Although these disruptive forces impacting the workforce are not new, they do exacerbate long-standing social inequities embedded in our pre-COVID economic landscape.
CalMatters and the Milken Institute are hosting a discussion to reimagine approaches to traditional economic development that prioritize diversity and inclusion while also identifying new ways to fund and structure advancements in workforce and infrastructure development.
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm PST
We have partnered with CAReasy.org to help you donate your vehicle. It is a simple procedure, just click the button below fill out the form and they will do the rest - pick up the car, and handle all the paperwork. NCJW|LA will send you a tax-deductible receipt after it is sold. Your donation will help fund the programs and services that drive our mission to advance economic justice and equity for women.
- How were you introduced to NCJW|LA? I have a group of friends at my Temple. One of the ladies, Renee Hertzberg, was a Board member at NCJW|LA and always invited us to the events. I started attending the Passover Seder and fundraising events. Soon after, I began volunteering.
- What do you enjoy most about volunteering for NCJW|LA? As a retired educator, I initially chose to volunteer for the afterschool Homework Club, supporting low-income elementary school children. Since then, I have volunteered in other areas. I always feel grateful for the opportunity to share and help with the mission of improving the quality of life for women, children, and their families.
- Is there anything else you would like to share with our supporters and volunteers? I am proud of NCJW|LA for all the programs and services provided to struggling families. My mother escaped the Nazis in 1939 and then left Cuba in 1961 as a refugee. Her whole life was devoted to promoting equal justice for all, dignity for the laborer, and supporting the State of Israel. Volunteering at NCJW|LA gives me the opportunity to honor her memory and carry her torch forward.
Interested in becoming a Volunteer? NCJW|LA is always looking for assistance in all sectors of our work to advance economic justice and equity for women.