- Donor Stories
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When the San Francisco section of the National Council of Jewish Women helped establish an educational scholarship at JFCS benefiting single parents in need, it held particular resonance for NCJW Board member Linda Kurtz, who partnered with the Council to bring the scholarship to fruition. “My father died when I was 11,” Linda says, “and my mother was left to raise six children alone. We became destitute overnight.”
Above: Linda Kurtz, NCJW Board member
Named in loving memory of Linda’s late mother, the Rose Mazursky Memorial Scholarship helps single mothers striving to better their and their children’s lives through educational opportunities. “I know what a little support would have meant to me and my family when I was growing up,” says Linda, who scrimped and saved to attend the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she successfully earned her bachelor’s degree.
As a retired state vocational counselor who often referred clients to JFCS, Linda also greatly appreciates the practical and emotional assistance JFCS has provided to many of her clients over the years. “Thanks to JFCS, many people who are living on the edge receive help,” she says.
This past fall, the Mazursky Scholarship was given to two JFCS clients—single mothers who used the funds to underwrite the costs of professional training. Deborah, one of the beneficiaries, was able to attend classes to enhance her technology skills—an important learning experience that will allow her to advance in her career at a large Bay Area nonprofit agency. “It was an opportunity to network with many nonprofit professionals, learn the best practices in my field, and gear up for my new profession,” says Deborah. “I wouldn’t have been able to afford this on my own, so the scholarship made the difference between surviving and thriving.”
To learn how you can create promising opportunities for other JFCS clients, call 415-449-1256 or email [email protected]