Letters to the editor: 4/16

Letters to the editor: 4/16

Why this year is different
While there is still much uncertainty about how the current economic downturn will impact our community, we noted with concern the situation reported in the March 19 Chronicle story, “UJF Accelerates ‘09 Campaign to Make Up for Commitment Lag.”
Should the UJF Annual Campaign fall short of its $12.85 million goal, there will be far-reaching implications for our ability to meet the growing needs our community now faces.
This is a time we all must provide as much support as possible for the campaign. Our community agencies depend on it to support vital programs and
services.
Meaningful Jewish experiences and quality Jewish education are always important, As more families struggle, the cost of living Jewishly becomes a
heavier burden.
We are seeing more families than ever turn to us for help, either to meet basic needs or to remain engaged in important Jewish programming. Too often, these are families who have never had to ask for help before.
As the economy falters, other critical sources of funding for our agencies are declining. Government support for many vital social services is down. Major foundations in Pittsburgh and nationwide are scaling back their grants in the face of diminished assets.
As leaders from the UJF beneficiary agencies, we are deeply concerned about what the future holds for our funding.
The Pittsburgh Jewish community has been one of the country’s philanthropic leaders when it comes to people helping those who have so much less than they do and are facing much greater needs. We are encountering so many more challenges this year than in other years. If you have provided support for the campaign, we thank you. If you have not yet made your commitment to the campaign, please give as much as you can. It will truly make a difference in so many lives.

(The letter was signed by 10 executives of the UJF beneficiary agencies.)

Letters to the editor

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