Jennifer Meeropol is the granddaughter of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg and the daughter of RFC Founder, Robert Meeropol. Jenn became the Executive Director of the RFC on September 1, 2013. Prior posts on this page were written by Robert (unless otherwise noted), and represent his opinions, which are not necessarily shared by the RFC.
By Tori Montemurro, Granting Coordinator
Each granting cycle brings a mixture of emotions as we receive updates on current beneficiary families and welcome new families to the RFC community. This granting cycle in particular was full of highs and lows. As mass protests and the ongoing health crisis have brought more focus to the social issues facing our society, we have seen an increase in targeting of activists across the country. This spring alone, we approved grants for twelve new families; they joined the 68 families we funded as renewals.
When I started working at the RFC more than a dozen years ago, in July of 2007, my first role was the granting coordinator. I spent six years in that job, which focuses on working with beneficiary families: helping them apply for grants and answering their questions about the process, sending payment to providers of the services we fund, doing outreach to potential new applicants and presenting applications to the Board for their review.
Last winter I read an article online in The American Prospect by Marcia Brown and David Dayen about a pilot program eliminating mail in federal prisons.
This fall the Rosenberg Fund for Children awarded 78 grants totaling over $200,000. Eleven new families received funding, joining 64 families who received renewal grants. In addition, the RFC Board awarded one group grant, another grant to provide grocery gift cards for current beneficiary families, and a grant to allow the RFC to host virtual programming for beneficiaries and their families this spring. Altogether, this brings the total granted in our 30+ year history to over $8 million!
Looking back on 2021 I am reminded of Charles Dickens’ famous opening line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The worsts are unfortunately easy to list and include a violent, reactionary and unhinged former president; a global health crisis that killed millions; climate degradation and disaster across the continents; a growing crisis at our borders fed by racist, xenophobic immigration policy; continued war, famine and global strife; and ever-growing income inequality.
But the bests give me such profound hope. Millions of young people fighting for climate justice and their future; continued organizing for racial justice, abolition and an end to the carceral state; growing efforts to force Amazon and other exploitative businesses to pay a living wage, offer benefits and end hostile workplaces; and so much more.