January 29, 2025
Every year, our Tzedakah (righteous giving) Fund provides grants to social service and social action organizations within the greater community, addressing basic human needs. Mazel tov to our two Tzedakah Grant Fund Award Winners for Fall 2024: The Infant Welfare Society and Literacy Works! Read more information about both organizations below. If you’re interested in applying for a social service agency, Spring 2025 applications are now open! Please click here for more information.
Literacy Works, a non-profit organization located in Chicago, provides capacity-building services to almost 70 adult literacy organizations in Illinois. Its mission, to advance equity by promoting literacy education and the use of clear language, is accomplished through its literacy helpline (connects tutors and learners to community literacy programs), community literacy program (provides professional development training and support to its network of direct-service agencies), and clear language lab (promotes plain language practices through training, coaching, and project services). Literacy Works, a spring 2003 tzedakah grant recipient, will use its $1,000 grant to defray general operating expenses.
The Infant Welfare Society serves Evanston, Skokie, Morton Grove, and surrounding communities by providing programs to primarily low-income families that nurture, support, and educate the whole family. Its mission is to deliver exceptional care and education for infants and young children while supporting families’ efforts to be effective parents and advocates in their children’s learning and development. IWSE will apply its $1,000 grant to its teen baby nursery program. This program currently serves 16 children and their families by providing early childhood education, nutritious meals and snacks, and mental health and dental screenings and by empowering young parents (18-26) to succeed by helping them complete their post-secondary education, finish training programs, and retain employment.