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April 30, 2009
Through the generosity of several UJA donors, there is an opportunity to “Double Your Dollars” with any increase to your previous gift or for any new gift through May 4. On the evening of May 4, volunteers from the community will be calling members of the MetroWest community. Please answer the call and make the best gift you can.
Your gift is more important this year than ever before. In this economic downturn, the UJA Campaign is facing new fund-raising challenges. The campaign, which supplies the unrestricted funding necessary for everything UJC supports and is necessary to keep our social safety net in place, is seriously behind. We are only a month away from closing the campaign and are several million dollars away from where we need to be — where the Jewish community needs us to be!
If we don’t make up the difference, our community will be at a critical juncture. Some services may have to be cut back or eliminated. Programs and services that so many in our community depend on could be curtailed — or lost. Here are just a few that are at risk:
- Subsidized mental health counseling for the uninsured
- Subsidized home care for the elderly
- Career counseling and job placement services
- Day care for MetroWest seniors
- Funding for meals for the elderly in the former Soviet Union
- Jewish education programs
- Support for families in Israel who were displaced from their homes when Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005
Not only those who depend on us every year will be at risk; many who are suffering due to the recession will be in jeopardy, too.
Several months ago, as the economy started to take a downturn, UJC began its MetroWest HELPS initiative, to assist our partner agencies dealing with this crisis to handle the increased demand for their services. But as things have worsened, aid to those now in financial trouble is also in jeopardy of being cut.
Jewish Vocational Service and Jewish Family Service have been dealing directly with those affected by the recession and have seen the severity of the repercussions.
JVS’ caseload stands at about 300 individuals, and the agency continues to see a steady increase in requests for its services. JVS made 24 placements in March into positions ranging from CEO to teacher’s assistant and including sales manager, purchasing manager, print buyer, security manager, and car service driver.
The requests for JFS mental health counseling and financial assistance have more than doubled since a year ago. “While a great deal of the counseling relates to helping families adjust to ‘new realities,’” said JFS executive director Reuben Rotman, “JFS has also been able to concretely assist individuals and families with the complicated processes involved in negotiating with creditors, identifying more affordable housing, and assisting with emergency needs ranging from car repairs to utility payments.”
If UJA funding is not increased, many of these people will have to wait longer for assistance or may not be able to receive any at all.
The challenges our community faces in these difficult economic times are real — and the impact is traumatic. Your support of the UJA Annual Campaign will go toward alleviating the pain many in our community are experiencing.
To learn how you can help, visit www.ujcnj.org. Make a gift today and have double the impact.
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