The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York announced plans today for a $102,165, 000 capital funds development program over a three-year period to broaden medical and social services provided by its more than 100 affiliated medical and welfare agencies.
Lawrence A. Wien, Federation president, described the program as “the largest single undertaking ever attempted by a voluntary welfare group to advance medical and social services. ” He said that “We are proposing this supreme effort in order to make our Jewish-sponsored facilities equal to the great progress of knowledge and the challenging growth of needs. It is the Jewish community’s contribution to the welfare of all the people of our city and to the well-being of future generations.”
Funds will be provided for more than 100 projects of new construction, expansion and modernization. The projects will include new hospital buildings, new homes and hospitals for the aged and a large-scale modernization and renovation program in many existing buildings and facilities.
$58 MILLION FOR MEDICAL PROGRAMS
Of the projected total capital fund, $58,488, 000 has been allocated for hospital and medical care expansion; $18,150, 000 for care of the aged; $8, 556, 000 for family welfares-child care and vocational guidance; $15,092, 896 for community centers and religious education, and $1, 878, 775 for camps.
Salim L. Lewis, chairman of the campaign, said the program was based on the findings of various studies during the past four years, including a demographic study in 1959 of Jewish population trends in the greater New York area made by the Federation and member agencies.
Mr. Lewis said that the extensions and improvements would raise operating costs throughout the affiliated agencies with a future increase, in the Federation’s annual maintenance budget which is now about $21, 000,000. He expressed confidence that the Jewish community would meet the added costs through voluntary contributions.
He emphasized that the capital fund program was separate from and in addition to the Federation’s annual drive for maintenance funds. He said that during the three-year span of the building fund campaign, the two drives would proceed concurrently. He said it had been agreed that any former contributor to the maintenance fund who wanted to give to the building program must first make a contribution to the current maintenance fund at least equal to his prior gift.
FEDERAL AND STATE PARTICIPATION IS EXPECTED
He said contributors would be sought for the building fund from individuals, foundations, publicly-owned corporations and labor unions. The campaign also expects to receive Federal appropriations for aid to hospitals and research and to seek State loans for self-liquidating projects for nurses’ and staff residences.
The first year of the campaign will emphasize special gifts in large amounts. During the middle and final stages, the campaign will be widened to enlist every level and member of the community. Subscriptions of all denominations will be payable over a five-year period.
The largest allocation of $39, 000, 000 will go for the program in Manhattan. Queens, target of the main stream of migration during the past decade, comes next with $21, 000,000. Then come Brooklyn, with $16, 000, 000; the Bronx, $13, 000, 000, and $7, 000, 000 to Staten Island, Westchester, Long Island and the more remote sites of the camp network. About $6, 000, 000 has been set aside for locations still to be determined.
In the field of hospital care, along with improved facilities for treatment and research, the new and modernized buildings are to produce an increase of 11. 7 percent in bed capacity of all Federation hospitals, a gain of about 14, 000 patients and 200, 000 days of patient care a year. For the aged, an increase of 632 beds is expected. Camps for the aged also will share in the expansion with a gain of 420 beds. There will be 15 new community centers, which will create facilities for an estimated 35, 000 additional members.
Children’s camps are listed for a gain of 342 new beds for more than 1, 000 additional campers each summer. Land purchases on Staten Island, and in Suffolk County on Long Island, will provide for an additional 2, 750 children.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
