COVID-19 Resources for Camps

To assist your camp in this uncertain time, FJC has consolidated a number of resources specifically for Jewish camps onto this page. You’ll find information on contingency & emergency planning, financial planning, grants & loans, health & safety planning, recordings of previous webinars, sample camp communications, and more. We will update the page on an ongoing basis, so be sure to check back regularly! And if you see something helpful for the field you’d like us to share, let us know.

If you feel moved to write an article or a blog please be in touch with jordyn@jewishcamp.org and we can help you share your voice.

Physical Reference Resources
Educational resources and Jewish response programs
Mental, Emotional, Social, and Spiritual Health & Support Group Resources

RUACH: Emotional and Spiritual Support

RUACH is a volunteer-run network of therapists, social workers, Jewish clergy, chaplains, and providers-in-training offering support during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Caregivers span the full spectrum of the Jewish community and provide inclusive and accessible care to clients of all walks of life, regardless of religion/observance level, age, nationality, gender identity, orientation, ability, or political affiliation.

Service is free in order to lower barriers to care, and anyone may access short-term supportive support for immediate emotional and spiritual needs of between 4-6 sessions.

More information

BaMidbar Indoors: Online Support Group for Jewish Professionals

BaMidbar’s weekly online support group for Jewish professionals is a community gathering in quarantine to create a dedicated space for emotional reflection, self-care, and coping skills. Registration for each weekly session is required, and you are welcome to attend as often as you like, and additional dates will be added as time goes on.

Register here

T’shuva Center

Support Group: T’Shuvah Group is geared for people fighting substance abuse, or anyone who has had a history of fighting substance abuse. All are welcome. T’Shuvah Group creates a safe and challenging space to look at our week, pause, reflect, and consider what we need to do to get closer to creating a life of meaning for ourselves. Finding meaning is at the center of recovery from addictions of all kinds. Everyone has a right for redemption and to form new habits and choices.

More information

Teen Talk (App) by Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters LA

Teens can often feel overwhelmed by the complexities of their lives. They want support, but they don’t want it from adults. They crave it from other teens.

Teen Talk is a free mobile app that helps teens take control of their social and emotional health by providing an easy way for them to get help from the group of people they trust most: their peers.

Teens can use the app to safely and anonymously discuss their lives and concerns with teen advisors who have been professionally trained to help them with a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationships, family issues, school, and more.

More information

Crisis Text Line 

Crisis Text Line serves provides access to free, 24/7 support and information via a medium people already use and trust: text.

Get more information or Text HOME to 741741

Blue Dove Foundation

Resources and Virtual Events, including discussions on infertility and wellness challah baking.

Mitsui Collective

Resources for building resilient community around nature and wellness,  embodied Jewish practice, and multiracial justice.

More information

OHEL Family: Drop-in Therapy, Webinars, Support Groups

JHSA – Find your Local Jewish Family Services & Jewish Family and Children’s Services

National Alliance for Grieving Children: responding to Change & Loss, in support of Children, teens, and Families

Events and Webinars
Grants & Loans
United States

Small Business Association Loans
JFNA has generously provided a point person in their organization to provide guidance to camps. Email Steve Gross at steve.gross@jewishfederations.org and cc Corey Cutler at corey@jewishcamp.org with any questions.

Regional Grants and Loans

Canada

The advocacy needs of the Canadian Jewish Community are served by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), which acts as the advocacy agent for the Jewish Federations of Canada. In order to provide you with up to date information about available programs that can help Canadian organizations and advocacy initiatives in which you can join, we ask you to visit https://cija.ca/covid-19-resources/. Please note that this website is updated Monday through Friday between 2 and 3 pm (Eastern). Beginning in early April, CIJA will also be providing webinars to assist local organizations in navigating programs as they become available. For more information please contact them at info@cija.ca.