Aid for Kentuckians Impacted by Severe Weather
2025 Tornado Relief
On May 16, devastating tornadoes ripped through Kentucky and other parts of our region, impacting the towns of London (Laurel county) and Somerset (Pulaski county) in particular. In the days following, we have seen the enormous destruction caused and have sadly lost at least 19 Kentuckians to the storms.
Photo source: Sam Upshaw, Jr. / Courier Journal
Ever mindful of our call to serve our friends and neighbors in need, Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass is collecting funds to support the relief and rebuilding efforts in our state.
Donations collected will be sent to the Governor’s Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund. Please join us in making a donation to support the relief efforts around Kentucky.
Our neighbors need us now more than ever. Please give generously.
If you have any questions, please contact Mindy Haas, Executive Director, at mindy@jewishlexington.org.
Around the World
Donate to the JNFA Campaign
Jewish Federations are responding, working with our core partners to support victims of terror, help rebuild damaged infrastructure, and address the unprecedent levels of trauma caused by this horrific attack.
The URJ is participating in the campaign.
Donate Now
Israel at War: Call for Medical & Nursing Volunteers
Israel is at war. Many hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed and many medical personnel are being called up to serve in the army. Hospitals throughout Israel are desperate for volunteers to fill in the ranks. Anyone with a valid license in ISRAEL or a Western Country (US, Canada, EU) in medicine, nursing, nurse practitioner, and other critical credentials: if you have time to volunteer please provide your contact info here so we can disperse to the relevant hospitals who may need you.
Fill out form
Support Democracy in Israel:
Here is a list of organizations and their websites:
ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America): Arza.org
The Israel Religious Action Center: Irac.org
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights: Truah.org
Your help is needed now more than ever to vital necessities to Jews in Ukraine, and to the tens of thousands of refugees in neighboring countries.
Donate to JDC
MAZON a Jewish Response to Hunger is a national organization fighting to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel.
Ways to Contribute in the Lexington Community
There are so many ways to contribute and volunteer your time in the Lexington area. Here are some suggestions:
2. The Hope Center provides comprehensive life-sustaining and life-rebuilding services that promote healing from substance use disorder, mental health disorders, and homelessness.
Ways to help:
3. Volunteer to pack and deliver meals for Meals on Wheels.
4. Volunteer with Glean Kentucky, a Lexington based non-profit serving as the vital link between food waste and food insecurity. Watch this video and if you think you’d like to help, sign up to be a volunteer.
5. The Community Response Coalition of Kentucky (CRCKY), an entirely volunteer-run organization, helps provide community support to families negatively impacted by immigration enforcement. They provide COVID-19 assistance; rent and utilities assistance to people with life-threatening illness; community resources; legal services; and ICE detention services.
Volunteers are needed in the following positions:
– Intake Workers
– Food delivery personnel-9:00 am to 11:00 am on Saturdays. CRCKY is also about to enter into a new collaboration with Woodhill International Market. They will provide us with boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables. Volunteers are needed to pick up and deliver boxes of food from the Woodhill Community Center between 5:00 pm and 6:30 pm on Thursdays. We are very excited to add another source of fresh fruits and vegetables to our delivery roster, but we need volunteers to make this happen.
– Board members
– Bookkeeping
– Social media coordinators
– Volunteers to table at community events
– PR material translators (includes flyers, social media, etc.)
To get involved, visit their volunteer page.
6. Please consider donating to the following organizations as they work to help those overcome food and medical insecurity:
God’s Pantry
Commonwealth Forgiveness Project (medical debt relief)
8. Donate Blood