History

In 1998, UJA-Federation of New York reported on a population survey covering the greater New York metropolitan area. Among the findings were statistics indicating that there were large numbers of Jewish poor on Long Island. Upon hearing these results, a group of friends on Long Island were moved to address this situation. They sat down together to discuss their options, and decided that rather than simply making a donation to help the poor, they would like to find a way to directly impact the lives of their neighbors in need. They recognized that for families who are struggling, even if they managed to pay the rent and other major bills, there would be nothing left at the end of the week for the “extras” that so many of us take for granted. They decided that the best way to help those in need was through a direct match of volunteer sponsors with needy recipients. Sponsors would be asked to send packages of clothing, toys, school supplies, stamps, and other items to enhance the lives of these poor and near-poor individuals and families. This plan of providing a little additional support, a helping hand, to those in need, became the start of M’Yad L’Yad-Helping Hands.

The founders of M’Yad L’Yad approached Susan Lustig, then the director of the Suffolk Council of Jewish Organizations, and she and her board gladly took on M’Yad L’Yad as a project of the Council. This relationship provided M’Yad L’Yad with professional support and the umbrella of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Parlor meetings were arranged and friends and acquaintances joined together to set up a formal plan and structure for the organization.

Guided by the high value within Judaism of anonymous tzedakah, charitable giving, and concerned for the privacy and dignity of everyone involved, the founders of M’Yad L’Yad decided that these matches must be anonymous. This was of particular importance, given that the recipients might well be neighbors, co-workers, fellow synagogue members, or school friends of the sponsoring families. This required the hiring of a social worker to identify and provide intake of the recipients, and a director to manage the daily operations of the organization. With the support of a UJA seed money grant, a part-time social worker and part-time director were hired, and M’Yad L’Yad’s program of anonymous charitable support was established.

M’Yad L’Yad has grown substantially over the past ten years, culminating in our achieving independence from the Suffolk Council of Jewish Organizations in early 2009. We operate under the guidance of a Board of Directors and our professional staff, and are recognized by the IRS as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.