▁of ▁age , ▁sex , ▁religion , ▁race ▁or ▁eth nic ity . ▁ ▁Mission ▁and ▁services ▁The ▁Federal ▁pover ty ▁gu idel ines , ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁standard ▁developed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁do ▁not ▁consider ▁regional ▁differences ▁in ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁housing , ▁transport ation , ▁and ▁tax es . ▁Even ▁so , ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁has ▁a ▁pover ty ▁rate ▁of ▁ 2 0 %, ▁well ▁above ▁the ▁ 1 2 % ▁national ▁average . ▁ ▁Met ▁Council ▁works ▁to ▁assist ▁New ▁York ers ▁in ▁need ▁and ▁raise ▁aw aren ess ▁about ▁the ▁growing ▁problem ▁of ▁Jewish ▁pover ty . ▁The ▁organization ▁has ▁eight ▁main ▁depart ments , ▁each ▁providing ▁services ▁that ▁help ▁New ▁York ers ▁who ▁are ▁struggling ▁finan cially . ▁ ▁Ex amples ▁include ▁the ▁crisis ▁inter vention ▁department ▁which ▁a ids ▁clients ▁going ▁through ▁job ▁loss , ▁ev iction , ▁utility ▁turn - off , ▁medical ▁needs ▁and ▁other ▁emer gen cies . ▁Career ▁services ▁leads ▁work sh ops ▁on ▁job ▁searches , ▁res ume ▁skills , ▁and ▁interview ▁prepar ation ▁and ▁has ▁training ▁programs ▁for ▁care ers ▁in ▁health care . ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Met ▁Council ▁has ▁the ▁largest ▁k os her ▁food ▁p antry ▁and ▁opened ▁three ▁k os her ▁soup ▁k itch ens ▁in ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Mas bia . ▁ ▁Part ner ▁organizations ▁The ▁Metropolitan ▁Council ▁on ▁Jewish ▁P over ty ▁works ▁with ▁ 2 5 ▁local ▁Jewish ▁Community ▁Coun c ils ▁and ▁is ▁affili ated