The Jewish Welfare Federation of San Francisco, Marin County, and the Peninsula records document decades of charitable giving and fundraising for local San Francisco constituent agencies, as well as national and international organizations.

By the turn of the 20th Century, Jews in San Francisco, CA had formed more than a dozen charities to tend to the poor, sick, widowed, orphaned, and elderly. After the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 devastated the city, a call for a local merger of Jewish charities was issued in order to provide support and revive the community. In 1910, the Federation of Jewish Charities (FJC) was officially established to manage the joint fundraising for 13 Jewish organizations in San Francisco. In 1922, the FJC joined the Community Chest of San Francisco, a forerunner of the United Way. The Community Chest administered joint fundraising for local charities, like the Federation, but for a larger constituency. However, the Community Chest did not provide funds for religious organizations. As such, in 1925, the FJC established the Jewish National Welfare Fund (JNWF) to manage fundraising for local religious agencies, as well as national and international organizations.

Number of containers: 77 cartons, 50 oversize boxes Linear feet: 116.85 linear feet

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