The Jacob Schlesinger Lustig Fund for the Homeless is our family’s way of honoring Jacob, his values of compassion, and is a way for us to turn our loss into a positive force in contemporary society. So far, the fund has contributed to the following charities:

  • Georgetown Ministry (drop-in center with showers, laundry, computers, counseling, medical care)

  • "N" Street Village (aids homeless & low-income women & children)

  • DC Coalition for the Homeless (emergency shelter and housing)

  • Miriam's Kitchen (provides homemade hot meals, has caseworkers to help with permanent housing, and "Miriam's Studio" with an art therapist).

  • Bread for the City (comprehensive front line agency serving the poor of Washington DC, providing food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to reduce the burden of poverty)

  • Martha’s Table (family & children support, operates nationally accredited education programs, pairs healthy food access with physical and mental health services)

  • House of Ruth (helps women & children dealing with homelessness, domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse and recent incarcerations)

  • Covenant House (helps young people experiencing homelessness including immediate needs for food, clothing, safety, medical and mental health care; specialized programs for young parents with small children, and human trafficking survivors

The Jacob Schlesinger Lustig Fund for the Homeless is an endowed memorial fund, which means it will donate to charities each year, in perpetuity, that deal with issues of homelessness - food, housing, training programs, etc. The fund is "donor advised," which means we (the family) direct which charities are contributed to, and is administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, which has excellent ratings.

Our goal is to grow the fund so that it can continue to contribute as much as possible to homeless charities each year. We have many ideas, from art fundraisers at Glen Echo Park (we’ve already had three and another is planned for October 2024), to "Jacob's Walkabout for the Homeless," etc.

If you're interested, there are a variety of ways to make a contribution in memory of Jacob. The easiest way to process a gift is via the online donation form (credit cards/ 3% service charge). If you’d prefer to mail a check or make a wire transfer, instructions can be found under Gift Transmission Information under the Donate to the Fund button.  It's a great way to honor Jacob and his values, and do something positive in these difficult times where so many people are suffering.

Thank you for your consideration.                                          

Jacob’s family (Ann, Pepi, Tess, Rachel, Rebecca, & Max)