In November, the Barzilai Foundation partnered with National Benevolent Charity to enable the support of low-income UK families and individuals experiencing hardship creating financial distress. For over 200 years the National Benevolent Charity has been helping low-income families and individuals battling poverty; a population that has been hit hard by cost-of-living crisis and COVID-19. With funds provided by the Barzilai Foundation, up to two-dozen additional grants will be administered providing just in time support during critical moments. For those in need this support provides an array of help including vouchers for essential home needs, fighting food insecurity, or even providing clothing for job interviews.

Founded in 2022, the Barzilai Foundation brings a mission of supporting individuals dealing with hardships beyond their control that are prohibiting their ability to live life to their fullest potential. Leveraging community partnerships, the Foundation creates impact initiatives to reach those in need and give them support to navigate challenging moments and dramatically improve their quality of life.

A Growing Need

The financial hardships felt by lower income earners has been exasperated by global events and historic inflation.

“The number of people looking for support and the urgency of their need has grown at an unprecedented pace,” said Ali Russell, Chief Executive of National Benevolent Charity. “The grants we provide in moments of crisis can prevent an onslaught of financial distress, and never has that been of greater need than during this avalanche of external pressures hitting low-income families and individuals.”

Brandon Sosa, CEO of Barzilai foundation added, “We are excited about this work because for many trying to lift themselves out of poverty, the story is small financial hardships that turn into bad debt or close the door on opportunities to move forward financially, a vicious repeating cycle. This is just the start for our foundation meeting people at this point of need and helping to change that narrative to one of progress.”

First Step to Greater Impact

The Barzilai Foundation sees this initiative as both fundamental in helping individuals fending off poverty, but also a starting point to go deeper and create opportunity for social mobility.

“A partnership like this is critical to reaching individuals at the right moment, getting them the support they need while fulfilling our mission,” reflected Sosa. “This first step will connect us to the community of people working to break free from financial insecurity, and from here we will extend and broaden our work to create not only support but opportunity for them.”

These charitable grants were awarded by the David Barzilai Foundation, a donor advised fund under the auspices of The Prism Charitable Trust, a special trust, the trustee being Prism the Gift Fund (charity no 1099682)