The Nashville Section of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) has a long history of service to the community of Nashville. Despite facing a global pandemic, NCJW is thrilled to announce that we will continue to be able to support our community projects. . 

Projects developed and supported by the Section have become a part of the lives of many of the citizens of our city. Projects supported by the Nashville Section support women, children, and families in the Nashville Metropolitan area.  

The funding for all Section projects is achieved primarily through contributions at the Section’s annual fundraiser, called Ways and Means, though is also supported through gifts from private philanthropic foundations, corporate grants, and bequests by our members naming the Section as a beneficiary in their wills. 

Each year, returning or new projects are invited to apply for support through a process called Study and Survey. After filling out their application, projects are asked to attend an allocations meeting facilitated by our Study and Survey chairs and members of the committee. This year’s chairs were Jamie Brook, Freya Sachs and Erin Zagnoev. 

Like many other organizations, NCJW, Nashville Section had concerns over how the COVID-19 pandemic would impact their ability to support their annual projects. The pandemic has not only impacted NCJW’s ability to engage their members through in person programming, but it has also prevented our members from volunteering with projects in the same way; however, our members and donors have continued to support this meaningful work.  

Previous Ways and Means fundraisers, which fund the projects, have been in-person gatherings inviting such enticing speakers as Ashley Judd. The 2020 fundraiser, chaired by Abbey Benjamin and Stephanie Kirschner, adapted to the needs of the moment. Despite our inability to be together in person and celebrate NCJW’s impact on the local community, our members continued to show their support and raised enough to fully fund all project requests. 

NCJW, Nashville Section is beyond grateful to our members for continuing to show their support, not only to our section, but also to the women, children, and families in the Nashville Metropolitan area who will benefit.