A grant of $120,000 over three years from the newly established PIMCO Foundation will help Orange County’s Jewish Family Service (JFS) expand its services to about 45 elderly Holocaust survivors who reside locally.
The social services agency, which also provides counseling services, assists survivors in obtaining social services and benefits, says Mel Roth, JFS executive director.
The award is the first from the Newport Beach-based foundation and was recommended by an employee of PIMCO, the money management company bought out by Munich-based Allianz. The foundation’s assets of $5 million all came from 20 PIMCO partners, who contributed a portion of their Allianz retention bonuses, says Mark Porterfield, the foundation director. They intend to make a similar contribution to a foundation endowment this year, he says.
While grant recipients reflect the interests of employees, Porterfield received a treat of his own. Roth provided a personal introduction to a survivor, who shares with schoolchildren her story of hiding in Holland with her parents.
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