Crisis Support

We appreciate that sometimes we all need a helping hand when times are tough or we experience unexpected financial pressures.  This is why at Jewish Care Scotland we are very fortunate to be able to offer a financial assistance fund.  This fund is reserved for the immediate relieve of short-term financial pressures and has only been made possible by the generous support of various trusts within the community.

We accept applications from anyone within the community who is experiencing financial hardship, all you have to do is call to discuss your situation with a member of our team.  Please be aware that as a charity we are duty bound to evidence that we are spending charity funds appropriately and as such access to the fund requires us to carry out an assessment of your financial situation.  All assessments are strictly confidential and you are under no obligation to provide any financial information in relation to your income and expenditure, however please be aware that the success of your application may be affected if you do not supply the information required to make an informed decision.

Update: due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic we are beginning to see a small increase in the requests for financial assistance, at present it is unknown whether this will escalate as the situation continues and we continuously monitor the fund to help as many people as possible.

Having access to Kosher food is of great importance to many within our community but we appreciate that it can sometimes be expensive and difficult to source for some.  Food poverty has been on the rise across Scotland for a number of years, particularly to those who have young children or those who depend on state benefits as their only source of income, and we want to help.  This is why at Jewish Care Scotland we are passionate about ensuring that no one compromises their religious or cultural beliefs due to lack of money.

The JCS Kosher Foodbank is the only foodbank in Scotland who observes 100% Kosher (kashrut) dietary laws.  Every year we donate over 100 food parcels to individuals and families in need and we also provide special food parcels during high holy days such as Pesach.  We are very fortunate to be supported by Mark’s Deli, who very kindly house a foodbank box for donations within the Deli and we can also accept donations at our building at the Walton Community Centre.  We also receive financial support from a range of supporters and are happy to earmark any donations made for our Foodbank.

Access to the foodbank is through referral to one of our team.  Individuals can call themselves or they can ask someone else such as a friend or other organisation to make the referral for them.  We do however require to make contact with the individual themselves to assess need and to arrange for food parcels to be made up – so please ensure that if you are referring someone else that they agree for us to contact them and to progress the referral.  We understand that accessing a foodbank is not easy and for that reason we take every step to enable any individual and their family to come to our building discretely and we can also accommodate different times for food to be collected.  If you have any worries or concerns, please speak to our team.

The JCS Kosher Food Bank greatly relies on everyone’s participation. To help combat hunger in our community – one meal, one person at a time – you can: