Jewish Family & Community Services "The Quiet Agency" By Hilary Bettman, Jewish Family & Community Services
There are many things I’ve learned about Jewish Family & Community Services in my eight years of working at the agency: People come to Jewish Services in crisis. We provide services and support that is confidential and professional. Our clients don’t shout from the rooftop when we help them with issues like substance abuse or domestic violence. Parents aren’t talking about how we helped their children deal with crippling anxiety or depression. Your neighbor doesn’t talk about how we helped keep their lights on or that their main meal of the day is provided by us. We are boots on the ground! Here is just some of what we do that many may not be aware of…
Counseling: Domestic violence, children, teens, substance abuse. Six free sessions are provided with Federation dollars. We utilize insurance when possible, but as long as clients are making progress and committed to the therapeutic relationship, we find ways to approve more support and funding. Our Case Management clients are encouraged to attend therapy as well. They are processing trauma, gaining positive coping skills, and attend their sessions under strict confidentiality. Financial Assistance: Rent, utilities, medication. We keep the lights on and a roof over the heads of families. Clients see a case manager to better assess where their money is going. Are they helping out an aging family member? Is there an issue with substance abuse? Again, very important issues, although not something people who use our services want to talk about with others.
Meals4You: For our seniors, this is their main meal of the day. Every year we ask this question on our satisfaction survey and every year it is the same response: "...this is our main meal." Many Jewish people in the community would go hungry without it. And all of our clients have access to the Max Block Food Pantry. Call-to-Go: Our aging community needs safe transportation to medical appointments, the grocery store and other vital appointments. We use pre-booked Lyft
rides so they look like regular passengers, like everyone else in the community.
EPIC: We ensure kids who aren’t typical learners have the support they need to attend Martin J. Gottlieb Day School or Torah Academy of Jacksonville. At the request of the schools, we have added counseling services. We provide teachers with resources so all children can be included in the day schools.
Holocaust Education: During the pandemic we formed a Speakers Bureau, composed of Second-Generation survivors. Their mission is to tell their family stories to the greater community. We also launched a Holocaust Education program which provides resources, training, and support to educators teaching the Holocaust.
Case Management: Scenarios we hear often include, “My parents moved to town but I live far away. I’m not sure what they are eating. Can you look in on them?”. And “I can’t take care of my aging wife at home anymore… where should she go? How do I pay for this?”. Also, “I will not leave this house… but I need someone to help with cooking, cleaning and driving me around town. What should I do?”. Every week we get calls from the Jewish community about these issues, and more.
Case Managers provide resources, referrals, support and planning. We help transition loved ones into assisted living or long-term care. How do you tell your elderly mother that she can no longer live safely in the home she has lived in for more than 50 years? We help facilitate that conversation. We help adult children process their history and see their parents as they are today, older and maybe more frail.
Every year we conduct a survey. We rate customer satisfaction and see what we can improve upon. One response we received is simple yet speaks to the heart of why we do what we do: “We are grateful that you did not forget us.” 30
