- Stories & Testimonials
- Financial Assistance
- Seniors
Forty-four-year-old Ben has not had an easy year. Only three weeks after sitting shiva for his wife, Susan, who succumbed to aggressive metastatic breast cancer last December, he was told by his employer that his company was relocating to Texas—without him. “I was dealing with unspeakable grief, trying to take care of my son, and barely holding it together,” recounts Ben, who had worked as a mid-level sales manager for a high-tech firm. “On top of that, my 77-year-old dad, also a widower, had recently had heart surgery and needed help. If my rabbi hadn’t recommended JFCS, I don’t know how I would have managed.”
A JFCS case manager arranged for Ben and his children—Naomi, 11, and Micah, 8—to receive individual and family counseling from a JFCS social worker, whose fees were underwritten by generous donations. Ben also applied for, and received, an emergency loan, which helped him cover his mortgage, utilities, and other necessities of life while he was pounding the pavement in search of a new job. And when he found a new job, he was sure to call to thank his JFCS case manager, who had put Ben in touch with some community resources that connected him to his new employer. As for Ben’s father, he is now receiving homecare services from the agency’s Seniors At Home division, and he is feeling stronger every day.
“My parents always said, ‘In times of trouble, turn to your community,’” says Ben. “I know that many people are embarrassed to admit they need help, but my family and I are living testament to my parents’ sage advice. When I’m able to, I will give back to JFCS, which has helped me, my kids, and my father immensely. My gratitude to all the people who give to JFCS is beyond words.”
Good news! You can double your impact with a gift before Dec. 31. All new or increased gifts to our annual campaign will be matched dollar for dollar when they are made by year-end.