National Council of Jewish Women Inc
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Back2School Store
By the end of each summer, parents and kids are preparing for school, gathering supplies, and buying clothes and backpacks. But for families struggling to afford the basics, “back to school” time can be very stressful.
NCJW believes that every child deserves to start the school year feeling confident and
enthusiastic for the upcoming school year; children should focus on learning and not if they have holes in their shoes.
At our annual Back2School Store, children from low resource backgrounds will select brand new clothing, coats, hats, gloves, sneakers, backpacks, and school supplies with a volunteer personal shopper. While the children shop, their parents will visit our Resource Room to connect with local organizations for assistance with healthcare, parenting, financial literacy, career development, and other social services.
Since 2014, the Back2School Store has:
Served over 1400 children
Engaged over 500 volunteers
Collaborated with 22 social service agencies
Featured 40 organizations in our Resource Room
Children’s Rooms in the Courts
When NCJW member Natalie Kaplan, wife of the Honorable Judge Lawrence Kaplan, voiced her concern about children left in the dark, smoky halls of the courthouse while their parents dealt with legal matters, NCJW saw a need. The result was the first Children’s Waiting Room, opened in 1980.
Since then we have established 4 bright, inviting rooms in the Family Division Facility and in the Criminal and Municipal Courthouses. The Rooms serve infants through teens, hundreds of children each month, all at no cost to families. Jurors can also use the rooms for their children. Allegheny County funds construction and provides ongoing financial support and security for NCJW.
* Since 2001, the Rooms have provided almost 60,000 children with a safe haven removed from the stress and difficulties of the courtroom.
* The Children’s Rooms also offers clothing and supplies to children who come in times of great need, sponsors therapy dog programs, and has a special Room for families involved with Protection from Abuse (PFA) cases.
*Every child gets lunch, snacks, a book to take home, and a safe, friendly respite filled with games and toys and people who care.
Center for Women
The Center for Women helps women in transition achieve and maintain economic independence. Co-established by NCJW with the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh (JWF) in 2014, the Center for Women focuses on providing programming and services that serve the needs of women in transition — women who are recently divorced, separated, widowed or who are entering or returning to the workforce.
The Center for Women serves all women without regard to faith, socio-economic status, or background.
Financial Education
Our financial readiness programs focus on the financial needs of women, providing skills and knowledge leading to informed decision-making through an understanding of finances and financial fitness.
Internships/Shadowing
Internships and job shadowing provide real skill-building opportunities to help women gain confidence, skills and knowledge required to enter or re-enter the workforce. Clients learn day-to-day responsibilities of their chosen careers and the intricacies of the changing workforce. They prepare for workforce entry/re-entry by building skill sets and they benefit from networking opportunities.
Mentoring
Our Mentoring Program connects eligible female participants with a mentor who acts as trusted friend and guide. Eligible participants are provided the opportunity to enhance confidence and skills while developing a supportive relationship with a mentor who offers encouragement and friendship.
Women Helping Women
Professional women provide programs, sessions and workshops. Subject areas include financial fitness and guidance, networking, the changing workforce and more. Women Helping Women provides an opportunity to connect and learn directly from women in key positions in Pittsburgh’s workforce.
Project Prom
Every spring, thousands of teens across the country celebrate a rite of passage: the high school prom. Sadly, many teens miss out on this experience because their families simply cannot afford it. More than a decade ago, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) stepped in to help by creating Project Prom. In 2017, NCJW became a managing partner and Project Prom moved to our thrift store, Thriftique.
Project Prom enables eligible teens to “shop” for free prom gowns and accessories. Volunteers help the women choose through thousands of beautiful gowns while their friends and families admire their choices.
Project Prom recipients are teens who deserve the same rite of passage, High School Prom, as their peers.
Project Prom teens:
receive services through child welfare
live in a homeless shelter or transitional or bridge housing program
receive mental health services
receive service related to intellectual disability
receive substance use disorder (drug & alcohol) treatment
Or they or members of their household:
receives food assistance from a food pantry
receives utility assistance
receives or is eligible to receive free or reduced-price school lunches
receives unemployment benefits
is in military active duty or a veteran
Where we work
External reviews
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
National Council of Jewish Women Inc
Board of directorsas of 05/30/2019
Deborah Green
Susan Jordan
Paula Garret
Laurie Gottlieb
Judy Cohen
Marion Damick
Jan Engelberg
Lynette Lederman
Dodie Roskies
Hilary Spatz
Debbie Green
Jenny Jones
Lisa Silberman
Karen Ackerman
Sarah Blask
Tanya Bielski-Braham
Sharon Brody
Lynn Farber
Lissa Guttman
Teddi Horovitz
Melissa Rackoff
Lynne Siegel
Robbin Steif
Eileen Lane
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes