Matchmaking with Hillel
At the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation (MN JCF), we strive to be the ultimate matchmaker between our fund holders’ charitable interests and the critical needs in our community. MN JCF is uniquely suited to leverage our relationships and expertise to keep our finger on the pulse of what is needed by and what is most important to Jewish and secular non-profits in the community.
We consistently work to match-make our individual and family fund holders with known community needs, with an emphasis on placing our non-profit fund holder’s opportunities in front of our donors as much as possible. Thanks to the generous support of donors and community members, we are able to make matches with fund holders and community partners that make a difference, especially when we see an immediate response within our community to support organizations at a time when they need it most, such as the pandemic.
The pandemic did not slow things down for MN JCF; in fact, we were busier than ever. During that time, MN Hillel Executive Director Benjie Kaplan met with MN JCF’s Executive Director, Alene G. Sussman, about a new program called BeWell Hillel. Alene immediately thought of the perfect family to approach about supporting BeWell Hillel through their fund after mentioning their interest in funding mental health. After one conversation with the family, who chose to stay anonymous, they decided to fully-fund the program for a year.
BeWell Hillel is a group within Minnesota Hillel’s social action arm of programming created by students for students and addresses the eight dimensions of wellness: Emotional/Mental, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Social and Spiritual. The program launched in 2018 to ensure that college students had access to programs that primarily focus on their mental health and well-being.
During the pandemic, student’s lives were changed as they were faced with unexpected hurdles. The BeWell program began rapidly growing during a critical time when thousands of college students needed mental health services and support on campus but were struggling to get access to these services from college campus staff. BeWell offered the mental health and wellness community among peers that was needed to alleviate the months-long wait for counselors. With the potential to impact more than 500 students, which Minnesota Hillel serves every year, the program has been a huge asset for Jewish students on campus.
The student-led group plans events and initiatives which differ year to year and give students a sense of leadership among their peers. Last year, highlights included a Shabbat centered around mental health and support services on campus, Destress Fest during testing, mindfulness yoga, matzah ball soup cooking, and a reflective art with a local Jewish artist. Before each event, students lead a mindfulness activity such as meditation and reflection to increase self-awareness and promote relaxed mindsets. MN Hillel also has a brand-new sensory room with supplies such as stress balls, journals, self-care tips, and a list of campus mental health resources. The room creates a space for students to de-stress or pause from the overwhelming stimuli college students face, including the stress of the recent pandemic.
Because of the generous support of the family who fully funded BeWell, MN Hillel students were able to seek and receive the support and help they needed during the pandemic, which saw a vastly increased stress level for students. MN Hillel is one of sixteen non-profits that invest their endowment funds at MN JCF, which allows perpetual funding for their needs. We consistently strive to match our non-profit fund holders individual and family fund holders to build a stronger Jewish tomorrow through programs like BeWell Hillel.
To learn more about the program, visit MNHillel.edu. If you are interested in establishing a fund to support your favorite causes, please contact Alene G. Sussman at agsussman@mnjcf.org.