JFCS East Bay’s offices are closed, but the agency is open, still serving and responding to our East Bay neighbors in need. In this time of crisis, people are turning to us more and more. Here’s what JFCS East Bay is providing as we navigate this new reality of serving people via phone and video chat:
- Meal, grocery, and supply deliveries to seniors and Holocaust survivors.
- Emergency financial assistance focused on housing and food security for refugees, immigrants, and low-income families, many of whom have lost jobs and may be ineligible for government assistance.
- Crisis counseling and case management for seniors and Holocaust survivors.
- Ongoing therapy for young children already exposed to trauma, who are now dealing with another significant challenge in their lives.
- Immigration legal services for vulnerable, low-income immigrants.
- Parenting support for families suddenly juggling school, work, and home duties.
- Volunteer matching for isolated seniors and Holocaust survivors to receive friendly calls a few times a week.
Everyone is being impacted by this crisis, and for some it will be devastating. Here are just two examples of how JFCS East Bay has responded in recent days:
- Eleanor is sixty years old and lives with MS. Because of her risk factors, she cannot leave her apartment to go grocery shopping or attend her rehab appointments. We have now arranged for a caregiver to give some hands-on assistance in the house and our social workers are providing mental health support over the phone. We have also matched her with a volunteer for friendly phone calls and will soon be delivering some groceries to her door.
- The Ali family–parents and five children–recently arrived as refugees from Afghanistan. The dad was just beginning his job search. Now with everything shut down, there are no employment prospects and the family is struggling to put food on the table. Our case managers are providing remote support, and a volunteer just delivered a full load of groceries.
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE
We are here to help. You can still reach us at our regular office numbers: (510) 704-7475 in Alameda County and (925) 927-2000 in Contra Costa County. During working hours, calls are being forwarded to our office managers and will be answered. If you call after hours, please leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as we’re able. You can also fill out our Request for Information Form to receive a call or email back.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We are so inspired by all the people who have stepped forward to volunteer in the midst of this crisis. Current volunteer opportunities include:
- Friendly Caller: we’ll match you with an isolated senior or Holocaust survivor so you can call and check in on them every few days.
- Grocery Shopper: we’ll send you a grocery list and ask you to shop and deliver food to client homes. We are currently delivering to seniors and Holocaust survivors, as well as refugees, immigrants, and low-income families impacted by job loss.
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SELF-CARE TIP
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