Yad Chessed ("Hand of Lovingkindness") provides emergency financial assistance to local Jews in need in the greater Boston area. Since it was founded in 1989, Yad Chessed has grown from an organization run by one “mensch” (good person) into a small professional charity with a staff of three and a Board of Directors, all of whom bring expertise as well as compassion to their work with the organization.

Yad Chessed exists thanks to the generosity of many committed individuals, family foundations, and communal organizations. It now distributes over $425,000 annually in emergency aid, ongoing food and clothing assistance, special holiday allocations, and interest-free loans to more than 1,400 individuals, who often have no ready access to other sources of financial aid.

As Yad Chessed has grown to meet the increasing need for short-term financial assistance within the Jewish community, it remains committed to preserving the dignity of its clients above all else. For many of these clients, Yad Chessed is quite simply the difference between making it and not making it. As one recipient put it:

Yad Chessed responds to every request promptly and thoughtfully, tailoring the type of assistance to the individual situation. If you or someone you know needs our help, please contact us.