Making Connections
Dear Friends,
 
Throughout this pandemic, JF&CS has helped thousands of people - but no group is more at risk than the older adult community, and in no area is our work more urgent. Supporting older adults throughout this crisis means protecting physical health, preserving mental health, and fulfilling basic needs. JF&CS is doing all of this and more.
 
Despite limitations on seeing clients in person, JF&CS has actually increased our outreach through this crisis in order to combat social isolation. We provide regular telephone support to more than 800 older adults, offering support and compassion, and serving as a safety net and referral source when we uncover additional needs. We offer many support groups every week, including specialized groups for families coping with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease as well as bereavement and caregiver groups. And we're impacting the lives of thousands of seniors in the community, by training over 700 housing and community specialists to address the specialized mental health needs of older adults living in isolation.
 
JF&CS also provides food, economic assistance, and homecare to the increasing number of older adults living in poverty. Since March, we've tripled the amount of financial assistance for low income households and launched a new emergency grocery delivery program to respond to the 200% increase in emergency food requests. And the need is only increasing.
 
JF&CS casts a wide net in serving the older adult community. Our clients include Holocaust survivors, nursing home residents, and people with extreme physical or economic need, but they also include clients who were independent just months ago, but who now crave a lifeline to the outside world. JF&CS is proud to be that lifeline, as we fulfill the commandment to "honor your father and your mother".
 
Some of the hardest work we do relates to our responsibility as guardians for close to 100 older adults with dementia or mental illness who are legally unable to make their own decisions regarding their health and welfare, and have no family members who can help. With coronavirus having hit the nursing homes so hard, we are literally supporting our clients through life and death situations, working to ensure that each is treated with the dignity that they deserve.  
 
For all of this and more, JF&CS is here for older adults, and for the broad needs of families across the community. If you or someone you know is in need, please reach out to us. We are here for the community. Thank you for supporting our work.





Gail Schulman
CEO
Keeping Holocaust Survivors Safe

JF&CS recently sent out nearly 300 care packages to our Schechter Holocaust Services clients. The packages included masks, gloves, a File of Life magnet, and a special note from our team. We recieved many lovely messages of appreciation from our SHS clients, which you can read in the image below.


Your Elder Experts Can Help

Our care managers at Your Elder Experts are here to support and guide you with you or your family member's ongoing care needs. During this difficult time, many older adults are facing new challenges that Your Elder Experts can assist with. For more information, view our flyer.
Volunteer Opportunities

Want to help from home? Volunteers can support our older adults in several ways by creating meaningful crafts.

Reach out to homebound older adults by writing personalized greeting cards. In the past, this generation primarily communicated through handwritten notes and letters, so your personally written note will be particularly meaningful.

Create your own hand-made card or use a store-bought card. Please provide envelopes if possible, but please do not seal them as we will be mailing cards to our clients and will want to pair the card with the person who will appreciate it the most.

Do you like to knit or crochet? JF&CS older adult clients will benefit if you wrap them in the "hug" that a handmade scarf, lap blanket, hat, mittens, or socks will bring to them. Use your hands to create a caring gift for someone who would love a caring touch.

JF&CS is looking for volunteers* to help at our Sunday distributions in Waltham, Marblehead, and Canton. We need volunteers on-site to pack and delivery groceries. Please be assured that we have put measures in place so that you will be able to practice social distancing at our distributions. In order to protect our clients, we ask all volunteers to complete a CORI background check. If interested and you have not completed a volunteer application previously, please fill out a brief Family Table application. Lisa Katz, Family Table Volunteer Coordinator, will be in touch; or you can reach out to Lisa directly at lkatz@jfcsboston.org if you would like to volunteer with Family Table.

*Please note:
Based on guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, we have determined that individuals may not attend distribution of any of the following apply:
  • You are 70 years of age or older.
  • You have an underlying health condition, such as moderate to severe asthma or serious heart conditions, or if you are immunocompromised.
  • You are feeling unwell.
  • You have recently come in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if you have been in close contact with someone who is ill and whose COVID-19 status is in question.
Programs and Groups Calendar

Although we're not able to meet our clients in person due to COVID-19, many of our services are being held online via Zoom. Visit our online calendar to view our weekly programs and groups that can be accessed from home.