Biberstein Social Action Fund

Annual social action grants available

Nonprofit organizations are invited to submit applications to the Biberstein Social Action Fund for grants in support of projects addressing poverty, discrimination, abuse and neglect issues in Yolo County.

The fund was established in 2002 by the Board of Directors of Congregation Bet Haverim, Jewish Fellowship of Davis, to honor Ernie and Hannah Biberstein, who are among the founding members of the synagogue. The Bibersteins are longtime area residents and have devoted much of their lives to community service and social justice. We mourn the loss of Hannah, who passed away in April 2011.

The goal of the annual awards made from the Biberstein Social Action Fund is to help groups in their efforts to meet unfulfilled needs.

“In light of all the budget cuts in social services, we hope that grants like ours can make a difference,” said Hannah Biberstein. “It means a lot to us that real individuals benefit from our grants.” Special consideration is given to new and/or innovative projects, she said.

An annual Call for Proposals is released each September 15th. Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 are awarded in December. A committee of Bet Haverim congregants reviews grant applications.  Current Biberstein Fund committee members are congregants Ernie Biberstein, Amy Abramson, Anne Gieseke, Sandy Jones, Joan Sublett, Shoshana Zatz, and Rabbi Greg Wolfe.

The application form may be downloaded here, biberstein-application-2011  or obtained by contacting the CBH office at (530) 758-0842. Grant proposals must be submitted no later than October 14, 2011.

Questions may be directed to the Biberstein Social Action Fund at cbhbibersteinfund@gmail.com.

The Bibersteins were among the founders of Davis Community Meals, where they

have served as board members and officers. They are also active in a variety of

interfaith groups, including Care for God’s Creation, Yolo Interfaith Immigration

Network, and Celebration of Abraham, which brings together Jews, Moslems and

Christians. They were recipients of the Brinley award for community service in

1998, the Thong Hy Huynh Memorial Humanitarian Award in 2005, and the Peace

Force Award by Teach Peace in 2007. Ernie Biberstein is a professor emeritus of

the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Hannah Biberstein was a mediator in the original city of Davis mediation program, was chair of the city’s Social Services Commission, and served on the Affordable Housing Task Force.

Past grant recipients include:

2003:

People Resources, Inc./Elderly Nutrition Program; Citizens Who Care, Inc.;
Yolo Children’s Fund; and Yolo County Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

2004:

Blacks for Effective Community Action/Davis High School Youth in Focus program, Yolo County Family Service Agency’s Kids Turn Spring 2005 program, Progress Ranch Treatment Services for Children, Yolo Adult Day Health Center, Davis Bridge Educational Foundation, and the “Outa-Sight” mutual support group for the blind.

2005:

Madison Continuation High School, Esparto Unified School District; Short-Term Emergency Aid Committee, Davis; Kylee Lillich Giving Tree, Woodland; Yolo County Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center; Yolo County Family Service Agency; and Yolo County Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

2006:

Families First, Yolo Crisis Nursery; Sacramento Rebuilding Together/Davis Senior Center; People Resources, Inc./Elderly Nutrition Program; and Citizens Who Care, Inc.

2007:St. Francis Pet Education and Training Center; Habitat for Humanity; Citizens Who Care, Inc.; Davis Bridge Educational Foundation; People Resources Inc./Elderly Nutrition Program; Families First; Yolo Wayfarer Center; and the Yolo Adult Day Health Center.Pictured at right: St. Francis Pet Education and Training Center. For a Pilot Service Dog Program in the Yolo County District Attorney’s office to provide crime victim assistance for children making their way through the court system. Lori Raineri, volunteer dog handler.

2008:

Elderly Nutrition program; Friends of Esparto Regional Library; O. W. Holmes Jr. Junior High School; Short Term Emergency Aid Committee; Yolo Adult Day Health Center; Yolo Community Care Continuum; Yolo Literacy Council /Woodland Public Library; and Yolo Wayfarer Center

2009:

Cesar Chavez Elementary School, Mercer Veterinary Clinic, Elderly Nurition Program, Short Term Emergency Aid Committee; Citizens Who Care, Inc.

2010:

NAMI-Yolo (National Association for Mental Illness), Knights Landing Children’s Center Co-op, Elderly Nutrition Program, Ark Preschool, Village Harvest Davis, Yolo Family Service Agency, YIIN (Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network), Food Bank of Yolo County.

Contributions to the fund may be made through Congregation Bet Haverim, 1715 Anderson Road, Davis, 95616. Please note that the donation is for the Biberstein Social Action Fund.