To all our Friends and JCS Supporters,
As we continue to be updated on curtailing the spread of COVID-19 by the RI Department of Health (RIDOH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO), we at JCS are paying close attention to the safety of our staff as well as the needs of those we serve, inside and outside of our Jewish community.
The JCS offices at 1165 North Main Street will remain closed to clients and visitors until further notice. For assistance, please call us at (401) 331-1244.
For a list of community resources to help those in need at this critical time, click here.
We want to assure you that our JCS staff and volunteers continue to be hard at work and committed to meeting the needs of everyone both inside and outside of our Jewish community. Despite our offices at 1165 North Main Street in Providence being closed to clients and visitors, we will continue to be here for you!
- Adoption Options is available to work with clients remotely for home studies.
- Case Management is responding to client calls and emails and helping clients navigate community resources.
- Lifeline RI clients continue to be able to activate their help buttons for assistance 24/7 and receive technical support from our workers. New installations are available if a family member is able to support the process.
- Our dedicated volunteers in our Partners in Care continue to offer support by making phone calls to isolated seniors.
- JERI staff is staying connected to nursing home residents by making phone calls to residents and delivering Passover food for the upcoming Passover holiday. Virtual programming is being offered to residents when possible.
- Isolated and vulnerable seniors continue to receive daily meals through our Kosher Nutrition program; kosher meals are being delivered to congregate meal site participants given the closure of the mealsite.
- Kesher workers continue to offer support and remain in contact with their congregants through their rabbis.
- Those awaiting Passover Support through Moes Chitim are still receiving assistance. Gift cards have been placed in the mail and will arrive this week.
- The Counseling Center is offering clients tele-mental health sessions at this time. For new Clients, you can click here for an initial intake appointment
- In addition, community-wide ZOOM meetings will be held throughout the upcoming week related to Managing Mental Health During COVID-19. More info about this is available here.
- The Kosher Food Pantry is working with volunteers, on an as needed basis, to deliver to anyone in need who has not yet received bags of groceries through our outreach efforts. As circumstances are changing daily, please call for further information 401-331-1244
- Visitation at Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence and programming at Shalom Affordable Housing remains suspended per the RIDOH until further notice. Only staff and essential vendors are allowed in the building. Meals at the Shaloms are being packaged and are being delivered outside tenant doors.
How can you help?
For those of you who have kindly called to offer your support, thank you! We are extremely grateful for your concern and, in the coming days, your help will be both needed and appreciated. On Sunday, we had a group of volunteers and JCS staff spend much of their day preparing 600 bags of food for families who are food insecure, including kosher for Passover foods – enough to hopefully hold them over through the Passover holiday.
There are several ways you can help, especially now:
- Make a donation so we keep our shelves stocked with kosher food and personal care items for those with food insecurity during this challenging time.
- We anticipate holding a food drive after this all passes in order to replenish our empty shelves. For now, consider purchasing gift cards to a supermarket in increments of $10 and mail them to 1165 North Main Street, Providence. Attn: COVID-19 Relief.
- Volunteer your time by delivering meals to those who are most vulnerable. Contact Elaine Shapiro at (401)331-1244 or elaine@jfsri.org.
- Help provide emergency assistance funds for families and individuals through our Case Management program.
- Support our Counseling program with a donation to offset the strain for families whose insurance won’t cover telehealth but who desperately need our services due to increased stress and anxiety from this pandemic.
For more on how you can help, click here.
We are honored to serve the community and beyond and thank you for your continued support! As stated in Deuteronomy, “A community is too heavy for anyone to carry alone.” We will continue to do our best to meet the needs of our community during this unprecedented time.