2009 AnnuAl RepoRt - Jewish Community Relations Council ...

goveRnMent affaiRs PRogRaM
connecting the jewish community to elected officiAls, Allies At united jewish communities, And
minnesotA’s nonprofit community.
Initiated in 2001, and generously funded by the Minneapolis Jewish
Federation and the United Jewish Fund and Council of Saint Paul, the
Government Affairs Program represents the interests of the Twin Cities Jewish
community’s social service agencies and private schools before the federal,
state and local governments.
Since its inception, the Government Affairs Program has helped steer hundreds
of millions of dollars in government funds to the community. The Government
Affairs Program achieved several notable successes over the past year. These
successes include securing the following new dollars for the community:
$238,000 in federal funds for Jewish Family Service of Saint Paul’s NORC
initiative, $298,000 in Ramsey County funds to defray construction costs
for Sholom Community Alliance’s Shaller Family Sholom East Campus,
and millions of dollars in stimulus funds for the Medicaid funded services
provided by our agencies to vulnerable seniors. Working with our allies at
the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, the Government Affairs Program also
passed legislation to protect the property tax exempt status of our community’s
nonprofits and defeated legislation that would have required all recipients
of public assistance, including children, to be finger printed as a condition
of their receiving assistance. Finally, working closely with the staff at Jewish
Family & Children’s Service of Minneapolis (JFCS), the Government Affairs
Program was instrumental in retaining and expanding JFCS’ significant Basic
Sliding Fee Childcare contract with Hennepin County.
JCRC at tHe RnC
During the Republican National Convention, the JCRC organized multiple
bipartisan forums to actively inform members of the St. Paul and Minneapolis
Jewish communities about important issues surrounding the 2008 Presidential
election. The JCRC worked closely with the American Jewish Committee
(AJC) on a series of panel discussions. Additionally, the JCRC cosponsored a
forum with the United Jewish Fund and Council of St. Paul, the Minneapolis
Jewish Federation, and AIPAC featuring nationally renowned political pundits
opining about the 2008 Presidential election.
Evening with Indian Ambassador Arun Singh
Sponsored by the India Association of Minnesota & The Indus Entrepreneurs-MN in
partnership with the JCRC. Pictured from left to right: Professor V.V. Chari, Manu Narayanan,
Steve Hunegs, P.G. Narayanan, Shivanthi Sathanandan, Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher,
Ambassador Arun Singh, Karthik Vishwanathan, State Sen. Tarryl Clark, Dinesh Wahi, Pradeep
Gundavarapu, and Fazel Haris.
JCRC Israeli
Diplomatic
Reception
at the Home of
Ruth Usem
Right inset:
Rep. Betty McCollum addressing the
audience.
Right: Israeli Ambassador Sallai Meridor
(pictured left) meeting with
Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
JCRC Hosts 3 rd
Congressional District
Debate at Bet Shalom
Congregation
Pictured from left to right:
Rep. Erik Paulsen, David
Dillon, and Ashwin Madia.
JCRC Annual Report 2009
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