Associated Agencies Step Up To Help Community during Pandemic

Jewish Volunteer Connection's "Casserole Challenge" will help people in need during the pandemic. (File photo)

Communities around the globe areconfronting unprecedented challenges and highly painful circumstances in thecoronavirus pandemic. But in particular, the toll of the virus is unimaginablefor older adults, the medically fragile, the economically vulnerable and the mentallyill.

As a result, The Associated: JewishFederation of Baltimore and its agencies and programs have been workingovertime since the start of the crisis to meet the needs of constituents in newways.

“It is during times of crisis, like the unprecedented one we are now experiencing, that The Associated stands ready, able and willing to help the Baltimore community,” said Marc B. Terrill, the federation’s president.

Here are some of the initiatives and resources recently put intoaction by Associated agencies.

Jewish CommunityServices

“JCS is the helpline for the community,” said Joan Grayson Cohen, executivedirector of the agency. “Our staff members are working remotely via phone or Zoomsessions to maintain contact and provide services for our clients.”

JCS Executive Director Joan Grayson Cohen (Photo Provided)

JCS staff members are also providing phone consultations for newclients and triage services for clients with mental health concerns and financialconsiderations.

Those who receive rent and utility subsidies through the agencyhave had their bills paid through April. People who receive food subsidiesthrough JCS can pick up their food cards from security guards at the JCSbuilding in Park Heights.

JCS is also offering a series of virtual community programs. Everyday at 12:30 p.m., participants can hear experts discuss a variety of timely topics.The schedule for next week is as follows:

  • Monday, Mar. 30, “Refresh Your Brand:Career Tips for Your Time at Home” with Sherrie Sacks, career coach
  • Tuesday, Mar. 31, “Talking to Your KidsAbout COVID-19 and Social Distancing” with Stacey Meadows, manager of therapyservices
  • Wednesday, Apr. 1, “Keeping Your CoolWhen Your Whole Family is Stuck at Home” with therapist Tikvah Womack
  • Thursday, Apr. 2, “Shifting YourMindset and Emotions from Worry to Calm” with health educator Elizabeth Piper
  • Friday, Apr. 3, “Supporting Your Staffas They Work Remotely from Home” with Darlene Wolff, director of human resources

These programs can be viewed on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jcsbaltimore/) and on the JCS website (http://jcsbaltimore.org).

The career services department at JCSis “booming with jobs that never were available before this,” said Cohen. “Jobslike home tutoring, catering, deliveries. … This week alone, we placed twoclients by Tuesday!”

JCS runs nine group homes with staff oncall 24/7. With day programs being closed, the staff is being creative infinding ways to keep group home clients occupied.

In addition, JCS is offering virtualclasses for clients with special needs on topics like cooking and life skills,said Cohen.

For information, call 410-466-9200 or visit http://jcsbaltimore.org.

CHAI

During this time, CHAI — Comprehensive Housing Assistance Inc. — is primarily focused on older adults in the community. The agency’s 16 senior living properties are home to more than 1,600 residents, many of whom are low-income and medically vulnerable.

The fact that these residents live inclose quarters makes social distancing challenging but vitally important.

In addition to keeping properties cleanand safe, CHAI has set out rules designed to keep residents away from theirneighbors.

Lisa Budlow
Lisa K. Budlow, CEO of CHAI (Photo Provided)

“We have cut out activities, closed community rooms and stopped shuttle buses,” said Lisa K. Budlow, chief executive officer of CHAI. In addition, “we have strongly urged people not to go out.”

Visitors to the Weinberg senior buildingsare limited to health practitioners and aides.

“On the heels of the health crisis isthe isolation crisis,” said Budlow. Agency staff and volunteers are calling allseniors in the buildings, as well as those who live elsewhere in the community,to find out what they need and to provide resources.

One senior who received a call recentlywas Bob Fischer, 88, of Weinberg Village in Owings Mills.

“It felt so fantastic to know thatsomeone cares and was checking on me,” said Fischer, who was also pleased thatthe Weinberg Village’s onsite store was stocked with extra items during thiscritical time.

“The staff printed out a sheet listingall of the items carried in the store and slipped it under residents’ doors,”Fischer said. “We just check off what we want, bring it down to the store andthe store fills the order and delivers it to our apartment!”

CHAI is also servicing members of theNorthwest Baltimore community who don’t live in the Weinberg buildings.

“They aren’t living in close quarterslike the people in our buildings, but they are more isolated,” said Budlow.

Those community members are also facingchallenges when it comes to accessing groceries, she said. “We are in theprocess of creating a grocery delivery service using our shuttles.”

CHAI manages the Edward A. MyerbergCenter, which was forced to close on Mar. 13. “Right away, we went to workcalling our 1,000 members to make sure they had what they needed,” said Budlow.

In addition, Myerberg instructors areproviding online art, yoga and fitness classes, as well as online technologyassistance. There will even be a virtual intergenerational seder on Apr. 6 for Myerberg members and students from Pikesville’sKrieger Schechter Day School.

To reach CHAI, call 410-500-5300 or visit http://chaibaltimore.org

Jewish Volunteer Connection

“JVC has committed ourselves to gettingthe word out about volunteer opportunities, both direct such as deliveringmeals and indirect like putting together toiletry kits, making fleece blankets,greeting cards, etc.” said JVC Executive Director Ashley Pressman. “Thecoronavirus pandemic has also created virtual volunteer opportunities thatdidn’t exist three weeks ago. A lot of these, like ‘friendly calling,’ arehaving to be created and they’ll probably be in place from now on. It’s amazingto see people step up.”

Ashley Pressman, executive director of Jewish Volunteer Connection

Due to the food scarcity caused by the pandemic, one of JVC’s biannual signature programs — the “Casserole Challenge” — was held on Monday, Mar. 30. Volunteers were asked to deliver meals to Art with a Heart and DRU/Mondawmin Healthy Families.

“We did the distribution on Monday and it was 48 casseroles to Art with a Heart and Dru/Mondawmin Healthy Families,” Pressman said. “It worked out really well for everyone and we well exceeded our goal, which was great considering we pulled it all off on less than a week’s notice!”

Pressman emphasized that casserole deliveries were contact-free. The organizations will take care of delivering food to needy clients.

To learnmore and sign up, interested volunteers should visit jvcbaltimore.org/casserolecovid/.

Pressmansaid she has been inspired to see how the Jewish community has responded to thecoronavirus crisis.

“Our firstinstinct is to take care of ourselves, but then people are saying ‘OK, I’mstable and I’m now looking outside to see what I can do for my neighbors,” shesaid. “Our system is built to be able to respond in times of need. We neverwant to see it working, but it’s beautiful when it does!”

To reach JVC, call 410-843-7490 or visit http://jvcbaltimore.org.

For information about additional Associated online resources and programs, https://associated.org/covid-19-updates/.

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