Split the Plate: JFS of MetroWest

In January, the Board and Ops Council have approved an experiment with a new way to do the offering called “Split the Plate.” Each month, except for our Stewardship month, a new task force will choose one local, national, or international organization to share our collection. Half of the funds we raise during worship or that are  contributed to the collection online during the month will go to that organization and half will go to FUUSN’s annual budget. If you are interested in becoming part of that task force or if you have ideas for organizations to support, please email Rev. Debra.

January's recipient is JFS of MetroWest, which is working diligently to settle as many refugees and asylees as they can before the next administration takes office. Rev. Debra had the opportunity to meet and listen to their executive director at a meeting on immigration convened by the Massachusetts Council of Churches in December, and an urgent appeal was made for funds.

Since 1979, JFS has helped newly arrived refugees, asylees, and their families in our area achieve self-sufficiency and adjust to life in their new country. JFS work with refugees to provide pre-migration support, housing support upon arrival, enrollment in medical, food and cash assistance, and development of individualized resettlement plans to create a path to self-sufficiency. JFS also offers free assistance to anyone granted asylum in the United States including enrollment in employment and ESL services, medical, food and cash assistance and general case management support.

Recent immigrants may be endangered in the coming month and the doors to our country for those fleeing persecution may be closed soon. During the past year, 100,000 people emigrated legally to the US; in the last year of the last Trump administration, it was only 12,000. I hope you will be generous with our collection this month so that we may help these new neighbors settle legally before they can no longer do so.