In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, students participating in JTConnect’s Teen Leadership and Philanthropy Initiative (TLPI) have announced their decision to allocate funds to local Jewish organizations effected by the devastating pandemic.

Through TLPI, said Zach Berkowitz, a junior at West Hartford’s Hall High School and a TLPI participant,“We have been learning about how to build community and create positive change by raising money and allocating grants to nonprofit organizations in the Greater Hartford Jewish community.”  

“In light of recent events,” he wrote in a recent letter to the community, “we have decided to pivot our focus by allocating to organizations in our community that are being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be funding meaningful projects that will enable our local Jewish organizations to respond to the evolving situation.

According to Berkowitz, who invited people to donate to this initiative, TLPI has released a Request for Proposal outlining how organizations can apply for a $1,000 – $3,000 grant. 

TLPI participants will begin meeting this month to review requests and make allocation decisions.