Samuel Sarver - 2020 Jewish Teen Foundation

Hello, I'm Sam! I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be on the Leadership Council of Jewish Teen Foundation (JTF) this year after loving the experience last year and learning so much about philanthropy. The Leadership Council team and I get to lead a group of teens through the process of fundraising and teach them philanthropy. As an organization, we have the opportunity to help our world in a fun, meaningful, and educational way, which is very unique. 

This year we will vet/fund direct-service and advocacy nonprofits locally, in Israel, and globally that assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness who have been displaced by climate change or who are living with mental health or addiction issues. We will prioritize housing, healthcare, and vocational services for these people, with an emphasis on these services being related to COVID-19. We cannot continue to see whole families living on the streets when I know something can be done.

14 million people a year become homeless due to natural disasters, which are quickly increasing in size and scale due to climate change.

Natural disasters destroy entire homes and communities, leaving families with nowhere to go and in need of shelter and vocational support.

More than half of homeless people have a mental health problem.

Our mentally-ill homeless population also deserve the healthcare and vocational services they need to become financially stable again.

Especially in a time like the present, it is important to help ourselves and others who lack protection to stay healthy and safe. Our homeless populations, who have critical health problems, do not have the resources they need to protect themselves which is why it is our responsibility to help them live through this pandemic.

Collectively, we can make a real impact on individuals experiencing homelessness across the globe. Any donation helps and goes directly to organizations working with and for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Please do not hesitate to email me at samsarver@icloud.com if you have any questions or would like to learn further about this issue.

Thank you for your support,

Samuel Sarver

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Links for further reading:

• https://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/health.html
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/The_homeless_mentally_ill