Single Mom Builds Financial Resilience with Help from JFS
A young mother and her son begin again, with help from the Comprehensive Community Supports program at JFS.
People sometimes ask, why does JFS offer such a wide array of services? The reason is simple: It’s hard to feel your best when your bills are due, the pantry is empty, and payday is several days away.
JFS provides comprehensive supports to address these thorny issues. In addition to mental health services, we offer education, tools, and resources to help our neighbors in Greater Hartford move beyond “getting by” and start getting ahead.
One client, Rebecca (name changed for privacy), is a great example.
When she first entered the Comprehensive Community Supports program, Rebecca had just left a financially abusive relationship. She was ashamed of her financial situation and unsure of her money management skills. Our client support specialist – who is also a certified financial social worker – went to work with Rebecca right away, helping her understand her expenses, develop a budget, and set goals.
By planning ahead and reducing her spending, Rebecca was able to save $250 a month toward a total of $1,000. Next, JFS coached Rebecca on how to ask for a raise – and she successfully negotiated a 5% salary increase. This allowed her to save another $400 a month. We also helped her open a high-yield savings account to maximize her interest.
To further stretch Rebecca’s hard-earned dollars, JFS connected her with a VITA site for free income tax preparation. Keeping kosher is an important part of Rebecca’s identity, so, after a short-term referral to the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry, JFS helped her identify budget-friendly ways to shop. Meanwhile, Rebecca saw a JFS therapist to build her emotional resilience.
As Rebecca’s skills and confidence grew, so did her savings. Soon she had enough emergency savings to last six months and even set aside money for her son’s Jewish summer camp. Rebecca found Comprehensive Community Supports so helpful that she referred her new partner. Now they are building their financial skills together.
With your support, thousands of Greater Hartford community members embraced their possibility last year. Please help us continue this vital work.
Photo credit: Kyle Nieber / Unsplash
