Challenge the Gap (Q2 2012)

Featured beneficiary in the CHALLENGE THE GAP category for second quarter 2012:

MAZON: A JEWISH RESPONSE TO HUNGER

Founded in 1985, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and alleviating hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds.

MAZON, which means "food" or "sustenance" in Hebrew, was the first national organization to rally the American Jewish community around the issue of hunger, and remains the only national Jewish organization dedicated exclusively to that same cause. MAZON recognizes the importance of both responding to hungry peoples' immediate need for nutrition and sustenance and working to develop and advance long-term solutions. We practice and promote a holistic approach to ending hunger, as demonstrated through our three interrelated strategies: advocacy & education, partnership grants and strategic initiatives. This approach symbolizes our desire to embody twin Jewish ideals: tzedakah and tikkun olam.

Since our inception, MAZON has awarded grants totaling more than $58 million to carefully-screened organizations representing the entire spectrum of the nation's anti-hunger network: from food banks, food pantries, home-delivered meal programs and kosher meal programs to advocacy groups working at the local, state and national level to expand participation in federal food assistance programs and champion responsible government policies that can prevent widespread hunger in the future.