Learning disabilities charity launches emergency appeal to plug Covid-19 gap

The Jewish learning disabilities charity Kisharon is launching an emergency appeal to cover the bank holiday weekend, asking for help to meet their annual budget.

Like so many others, the organisation’s annual fundraising dinner has been cancelled, leaving a hole on the balance sheet, so it has launched a 36-hour appeal in the hope of raising £1 million, with all donations being doubled.

From 10 to 11 May organisers said they were “appealing to the community for their support to ensure their services can carry on” during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, with charity leaders describing the situation as urgent.

“People at Kisharon and their families rely on us so we hope that the community will be generous in order to allow us to deliver our essential services,” said director of fundraising Hilary Newmark.

“The urgency of our funds is vital for today so that we can keep Kisharon services running until the end of the year. Individuals at Kisharon have essential needs.  Whilst our dinner has been cancelled our social care must go on.”

The charity has an annual spend of more than £10 million and has been supported by a range of donors across the community, including the philanthropist Irving Carter, who died of Covid-19 last month.

In March Kisharon was one of several Jewish charities to say that they were looking at “creative and virtual ways” to raise money as the coronavirus pandemic hit. At the time Newmark said the charity typically needed to raise up to £2.4 million annually, adding that the prospect of doing so this year was “daunting”.