Sara Raoof Jacobs escaped Iran with her family after the revolution, when she was only 15 months old. They settled in Los Angeles.
“My mom died when I was younger, but we had such a great support system around us,” she told The Journal. “I have eight aunts and uncles, and my mom had so many friends, so there was always someone with us — grocery shopping, helping and filling the house with joy. I realized that other families don’t have that, so I wanted to give back and share with others what I’ve experienced.”
In July 2022, Jacobs founded her nonprofit organization for people in the community who are battling illness. She named it “Maman“ (“mother” in Farsi). Last year, after Oct. 7, it shifted its focus to helping people in need — displaced individuals, massacre survivors and IDF soldiers. Maman sent over $700,000 in humanitarian funds to Israel and more than two tons of supplies within two weeks of the massacre.
The organization also brought 15 children from the Gaza envelope who had to flee and evacuate their homes to Los Angeles for a healing and transformative retreat. Community donations funded the entire trip.
Just a couple of days after the Palisades fires began, Jacobs sprang into action, organizing support for displaced families from Pacific Palisades and Altadena. She already had plenty of experience from the previous year. She knew they would be in desperate need of everything — including toiletries, clothes, food, baby food, cribs and, of course, a place to stay.
“We made sure people had housing,” she said. “We connected them with individuals we knew who had available Airbnb units or guest houses. We arranged for whatever they needed and created an Amazon Wish List with essential items. In addition, we established multiple donation hubs.“
Knowing that some families might feel uncomfortable receiving help, she kept the names of those requesting assistance anonymous. People could submit requests for what they needed and then pick up the items from the organization’s offices. Donations of clothing and skincare products and makeup continue to come in. Evacuees are welcome to pick whatever they need on top of what they requested on their wish list.
“The kids of Chabad of Palisades were all displaced, and the rebbetzin was saying she wants the children to have toys,” Jacobs said. “We got 100 Magna-Tiles for them.”
Artist Tomer Peretz also teamed up with Maman to collect and deliver large items like furniture and refrigerators to families in need. He had volunteered with the organization last year, providing art therapy for children, Nova Festival survivors and soldiers who came to LA.
Jacobs didn’t stop there. Her dedicated team of 500 volunteers has been tirelessly delivering meals daily to 1,000 firefighters at various stations, ensuring they’re well-fed as they battle the flames. “We teamed up with Dani Goldblatt from Holy Smokes Kosher BBQ, Sivan from Sivan’s Kitchen, Chef Bae and Ma’ayan from Vegan Sis,” said Jacobs. “We have a team that calls each fire station to make sure there are no double deliveries and checks how many people work there to ensure there is no waste.”
Then, volunteers help pack the food in plastic containers and deliver it to each fire station. When one of her volunteers told her that the firefighters needed chargers and generators, Jacobs arranged for those to be delivered to them within 15 minutes – faster than Amazon. “They are always so grateful — it gives them so much strength. They feel supported. They are risking their lives to keep us safe right here. Whatever we can do to give them strength to keep going, it’s our duty,” said Jacobs.
Then, a few days after the operation started, something unthinkable happened — Goldblatt’s car was stolen at night, right from her driveway. “She didn’t skip a beat and continued preparing the food the next day,” said Jacobs. “We had volunteers deliver the food, and thankfully, 24 hours later, she got her car back.”
Unlike many non-profit organizations, this one is purely volunteer-based. No one takes a salary and there are no outrageous operational costs. Every donation received is used for the purpose it was donated for.
It’s clear to see that Jacobs is very passionate about what she does. She understands what it’s like to start all over again from scratch. She grew up with parents who needed to do just that when they arrived in the U.S.
“My mom had to redo her nursing exams, my father too,” she said. “We know what it’s like to start from nothing.”
Jacobs understood that through her organization, she could not only provide immediate support to those in need but also use it to build bridges with other communities in town. A month before the fires, she reached out to the African-American communities in Compton and the Church of Zion and had an event at the church. “It’s important to help that community because they need it, and they don’t have the same support we have,” she said. She also partnered with actress Patricia Heaton and her organization O7C on events that promote unity and stand against antisemitism.
The facility where Maman is operating is Eretz Synagogue in Tarzana. For Jacobs, it has significant meaning. “My grandfather was one of the founders, and my uncle is the president of the synagogue,” she said. “So for me, it’s coming full circle.”
Find out more about Maman at mamannonprofit.com.
