BERGEN COUNTY, N.J. — Project Ezra is launching a $1.3 million crowdfunding campaign this Elul to help Bergen County families facing financial hardship, calling on the community to rally around neighbors who may be struggling behind closed doors.

The campaign, titled “It’s Time to Care for Our Community,” will support Project Ezra’s work providing assistance, guidance and case management to local families working through financial challenges.

For many families, the organization said, financial stability can change quickly. A lost job, medical emergency, unexpected expense or family crisis can turn what had been a manageable situation into an overwhelming one.

And the families seeking help are often part of the same communities as the people being asked to support the campaign.

“They are neighbors, our friends, the people sitting next to us in shul, standing with us at school pick up, and joining us around their Shabbos tables,” Project Ezra said.

Project Ezra has worked with Bergen County families for more than 20 years, helping people navigate financial crises while also focusing on longer-term stability.

Its services include financial coaching, employment support, targeted assistance, budgeting guidance and personalized case management. The organization’s approach is designed to help families stabilize during a crisis while working toward greater independence.

The $1.3 million campaign will help fund that work as Project Ezra seeks to ensure that families reaching out for assistance can receive the support they need.

“Every donation helps provide support guidance and stability for neighbors facing financial hardship with dignity, discretion and care,” the organization said.

The campaign is being launched during Elul, the period leading into the Yamim Noraim, when the themes of community responsibility and helping others take on added significance.

Project Ezra is encouraging members of the Bergen County community to participate as it seeks to build what it describes as a path from crisis to confidence, resilience and independence for local families.

“This Elul, your gift is more than a donation, it’s a way to stand with families in our community and help them move from crisis to confidence, resilience and independence,” the organization said.

Donations can be made online at ezra.org/elul, by calling 201-569-9047 or by mail to 95 Cedar Lane, Suite 12, Englewood, NJ 07631.

Project Ezra also announced that its dinner is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2026.

The campaign comes with a message for the coming year: “May your family, our community and Klal Yisrael be blessed with a year full of peace, health and prosperity.”