A New Beginning Starts with a Single Conversation

For many individuals and families who come to JFS, a new beginning starts with a single conversation.

When Ashley (not her real name) first met with our financial social worker, she had recently lost her job and faced eviction from her home for falling behind on rent. Together, they focused first on helping Ashley regain her financial footing and remain in her home. Then, step by step, they began building toward something bigger.

With her housing stabilized and food assistance secured through the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry, Ashley was finally able to look beyond her family’s immediate needs and return to a dream she had set aside years earlier: earning her GED. As a young mom, she had left high school to care for her growing family. Now, with her youngest child out of diapers, she was ready to go back.

One barrier still remained. Ashley didn’t own a laptop and couldn’t participate in the required online classes. With the support of her social worker and a refurbished laptop provided by JFS, Ashley enrolled in GED prep classes through her local library. Together, they removed the final obstacle standing between Ashley and the education she had dreamed of completing.

Ashley continues to meet regularly with her JFS social worker and is on track to earn her GED this fall. But for Ashley, achieving her diploma isn’t the finish line. Inspired by the support she received through JFS, she now hopes to pursue a degree in social work so she can help others build brighter futures of their own.

The High Holy Days invite us to reflect on how our actions can help shape a better year ahead for ourselves and our community. Last year, JFS helped nearly 3,800 individuals through more than 5,300 mental health visits, 14,600 visits to the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry, and 123,000 hours of in-home care.

Behind each of these numbers is a person or family navigating a challenge, pursuing a goal, or working toward a more stable future. Ashley’s story shows what can happen when someone receives not only help during a moment of crisis, but also a compassionate partner ready to walk alongside them as they take their next steps.