A Letter from JFS - Winter, 2007-08

Dear Friends,

For many of you, wintertime in the Wyoming Valley means harsh weather conditions, snow covered roads, short days. For some, it can be fun – skiing, snow tubing, sledding.

But, for some of your neighbors, winter is a very difficult time. It can mean shut off notices from the electric company, little or no food for the family, difficulty getting to doctor’s appointments, isolation and loneliness.

Since the start of our fiscal year in July, Jewish Family Service has assisted more individuals and families than ever before, in the same period of time:

• A single mother with two children, one that is handicapped, needs money to pay an electric bill so that the power will not be shut off
• An elderly gentleman is being evicted from his apartment for not having the money to pay his rent
• A widowed young mother, with seven children, has a house fire and needs temporary lodging
• A medically needy woman needs financial assistance before her SSI disability checks begin
• A family returns to the office weekly for extra food from Sarah’s Table
• A mentally challenged woman, whose mother recently passed away, needs our assistance in many ways
• An elderly woman, just discharged from the hospital, needs kosher meals delivered to her home

Those are just a few examples of how JFS comes to the aid of your friends and neighbors. Other times, we are just a friendly voice or an ear, or a shoulder to cry on. We also provide counseling services by a licensed social worker, Holocaust Survivor services, student loans and grants, and more.

Some of you may never know the hardships faced by members of our community. But, imagine being all alone, having no one to turn to – and then there is Jewish Family Service. Remember, sometimes a gentle hand guides an individual’s quality of life with giant results. YOU can make a difference in someone’s life. Please consider an extra one dollar per week. Fifty-two dollars is pennies a day, and the money is truly needed. We are counting on your generous support.

Sincerely,