Supporting families impacted by COVID-19
'We want to do all we can to assist these families until they are able to get back on their feet'.
THE Moriah Foundation has launched “The Moriah Response 2020 – No family left behind” campaign to support families whose ability to afford school fee payments has been impacted by COVID-19.
“Over the past few months, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of families reaching out to the college for financial assistance,” principal Rabbi Yehoshua Smukler said.
Foundation president Judy Lowy said that since the pandemic began, its priority has been to support the college and ensure parents will not have to remove their children from the school due to financial hardship.
“Many of our Moriah families are struggling to pay school fees right now as they have lost their jobs or income, or seen their businesses decimated,” she said.
“Many of these families have contacted the college to seek help for the very first time, as they find themselves in situations that they never imagined. We want to do all we can to assist these families until they are able to get back on their feet.”
The college estimates it will require between $5 and $7.5 million to support up to 300 children whose families have been impacted.
This is in addition to a $5 million scheduled debt repayment due in December, funding which was planned as part of a capital appeal that has now been postponed. With the generous support of JCA and several donors, the foundation has raised nearly $5 million of the total.
Lowy thanked the community for its support to date and called on those who are able to assist families during this difficult time.
“We here in Sydney have been very fortunate that most people have been able to get back to work. But so many have not, and so many have lost a substantial proportion of their incomes,” she said.
“Our aim is to help keep children at Moriah, where they belong. Uprooting children to move schools during these already challenging times would be heartbreaking. We hope every member of our extended family will support the campaign to the extent that they can.”
To donate, contact foundation manager Andy Berelowitz via (02) 9375 1620 or at aberelowitz@moriah.nsw.edu.au, or visit moriahfoundation.org.au/donate.
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