What does Met Council do?
Met Council is one of New York’s largest human services agencies, providing more than 100,000 New Yorkers with critical services in their fight against poverty every year. For 36 years, Met Council has been a defender and advocate for New Yorkers in need, and has raised awareness around the growing problem of Jewish poverty. With services ranging from domestic violence counseling to kosher food pantries to career training, Met Council helps individuals find lasting solutions to complex problems.
What services does Met Council provide?
Met Council provides a wide range of services to help individuals in need gain immediate and long-lasting solutions to poverty. These services include crisis intervention, kosher food pantries, career training and assistance, domestic violence counseling, health insurance enrollment, affordable housing, home care and home repairs and furnishings. If you or someone you know is in need, please contact us at 212-453-9500.
What are the Jewish Community Councils and what is their connection to Met Council?
Met Council is the umbrella organization for 25 affiliated local Jewish Community Councils (JCCs). These JCCs are located in areas with heavy Jewish populations and provide a range of services, including kosher food pantries, crisis services and benefits enrollment, and they frequently refer clients to Met Council for additional assistance.
Which populations does Met Council serve?
Met Council serves all New Yorkers in need regardless of race, ethnicity or background. We were originally founded to advocate for the Jewish poor, an overlooked population, and many of our affiliated local Jewish Community Councils are located in neighborhoods with heavy Jewish populations. Today, some of our programs, like our kosher food pantry, have many Jewish clients, and others, like our homeless shelter in Queens, have no Jewish clients.
I never heard of poor Jews. Is there really such thing as Jewish poverty?
One in five Jews in New York City are poor, and there are more than 348,000 Jews living below or near the poverty line in the Greater New York Area. These individuals are primarily poor elderly, new immigrants or families that have undergone crises like a job loss or illness. Many of our clients are “working poor,” earning too much for government benefits but too little to make ends meet.
How are you funded?
Met Council’s main philanthropic source is UJA-Federation, and we are funded by many federal, state and local grants as well as other foundations and individual contributions.
What is the relationship between Met Council and UJA?
Met Council is affiliated with UJA-Federation of New York and receives a generous amount of funds each year to help clients in need with a variety of services. Met Council is one of nearly 100 agencies in the New York area that receives funding from UJA-Federation of New York.
Is Met Council a “faith-based” organization?
No. Met Council is a community-based organization founded on the traditional Jewish values of acts of charity and deeds of kindness.
Does Met Council help people who live outside of New York?
Met Council was founded to serve people in need in the five boroughs of New York City.
How much of your funding goes directly to help clients?
92% of funds go directly towards programs that help clients.
