Everyone at JFS can tell you what we do. But what better way to understand the impact our work has on people’s lives than to hear it directly from them? Please take a few minutes to watch “The Faces of JFS,” a video produced in collaboration with students from the West Shore School District. It will give you a new perspective on JFS and the people we serve every day.
Click here to play the "Faces of Jewish Family Service" video
Morris, a gentle, soft -spoken senior, lived with his mother and her friend. He took good care of his mother, who was in poor health. But when his mother died, followed shortly thereafter by her friend, Morris was alone. His neighbors provided him with friendship and companionship, making him feel like part of a family again.
Then Morris started getting bills for things he didn’t buy. And they kept coming, thousands of dollars in charges. Morris’ “friends” had stolen his identity. He was devastated and fell into a deep depression. Bill collectors were harassing him and he had nowhere to turn. His sister called the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging, who referred him to JFS. We became his Power of Attorney, working with the Harrisburg police to bring the “friends” to justice and negotiating with his creditors to eliminate much of his debt.
Today, Morris is happy and debt-free, and he considers JFS his family. “I don’t think they’ve helped anybody as much as they helped me. They might have, but G-d knows, I appreciated it.”
Jamie is a five-year old boy with a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. When he was younger, he received services from the county, but once he turned 3 he was part of the school system, which saw no need for the special helped he still needed. “He doesn’t qualify for help because he’s making educational progress,” says his mother, Lisa. “And
I think that was why he was in the black hole for so long.”
Lisa brought Jamie to Mynd Works, JFS’ clinic for children with learning and developmental challenges, where he worked with our occupational therapist on his fine motor skills and sensory issues. “When we found Mynd Works, it was like a rainbow kind of lit up over my head, Lisa says. “And I thought, why didn’t I think about this sooner?”
Now Lisa recommends the clinic to her friends whose children have similar issues. “You have to come here, because if he is helped even half of what [Mynd Works] was able to help Jamie, it will be amazing progress and you won’t be disappointed.”
Stephanye and Michael are devout members of the Jewish community. When Michael lost his job, they fell on hard times and were evicted from their apartment. They became squatters in an abandoned nursing home and were preparing to leave Harrisburg when their rabbi referred them to JFS.
We provided them with a list of local emergency resources, which helped them get into a shelter and eventually to find a new apartment. We made sure they had enough kosher food and all the things they needed for Shabbat and various Jewish holidays, which was of utmost importance to them. As Stephanye says, “We have not violated in any way. We can stand and be proud to say that we have maintained what we believe in.”
Michael now has a new job and Stephanye is launching a writing career. They have a home, safety and peace of mind. “There’s no way we would have made it [without JFS]. I still get tears in my eyes about it, because you helped us.”
When Jennifer and Michael were frustrated by their efforts to have a child, they turned to AdoptionLinks, the adoption and foster care program of JFS. As Jennifer explains, “JFS immediately came to mind, because we knew about the adoption department and the great reputation that it had.”
AdoptionLinks worked with Jennifer and Michael to explain all their options, helped them get certified as foster parents and provided training and emotional support. “We started a support group before we were even matched with our son,” says Jennifer. “We could meet other adoptive families and learn about their experiences so that we could become better parents and make a good decision.”
Once they became foster parents, Jennifer and Michael were matched with Ned, a young teen who had lived in several different homes over his short life. He moved into their home and less than a year later became their adoptive son. All through the process, AdoptionLinks was there to give them guidance, which continues to this day. They are a happy family, and Jennifer and Michael give Ned the stability and love he needs. “I finally don’t have to move around,” says Ned.
JFS is grateful to all our clients who agreed to share their stories.