MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
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MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger is an American nonprofit agency that allocates donations from the Jewish community to prevent and alleviate hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds. It was founded in 1985, and its headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California.
[edit] Inspiration and establishment
According to Jewish tradition, rabbis did not allow celebrations to begin until the community’s poor and hungry people were seated and fed. Fein's notion was to incorporate this ancient tradition into modern day celebrations such as bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings, anniversaries and other joyous occasions, to help feed those who are less fortunate.
MAZON was inspired by the horrors of the Ethiopian famine of 1985, and was conceived by former Moment Magazine publisher Leonard Fein, who wanted to build a bridge between the Jewish community and millions of hungry people around the world.
[edit] MAZON's philanthropic work
Each year, MAZON ("food" in Hebrew) grants millions of dollars to hundreds of hunger-relief agencies, including emergency food providers, food banks, multi-service organizations and advocacy groups that seek long-term solutions to the hunger problem.
In 1986, the first year of its grant making, MAZON distributed $20,000 in cash grants to four hunger-relief organizations. Over two decades, MAZON has made tens of millions of dollars in grants to hunger-relief organizations in the United States, in Israel and in developing countries around the world.
MAZON works on dual fronts to alleviate and end hunger by funding both the provision of emergency food and legislative advocacy around hunger issues.
