With massive layoffs, a collapsed housing market, investment anxiety, and decreased consumer spending brought on by the economic crisis, people in our community are feeling emotional and financial stress.

To address the problems locally, UJC MetroWest launched MetroWest HELPS, a supplemental funding initiative to reduce the impact of the economic situation on Jewish individuals and families. Money raised will help our partner agencies provide vocational, emotional, and emergency financial support to those in need. So far, MetroWest HELPS has raised almost $337,000, according to Diane Klein, Associate Director of Planning and Allocations.

The principal UJC partner agencies dealing with the economic downturn are Jewish Family Service (JFS) and Jewish Vocational Service (JVS). The funding from MetroWest HELPS supports staff that deal directly with families, and provides safety-net dollars for emergency cash to cover essentials such as groceries and medical bills. The campaign also pays for advertising and outreach to rabbis and day schools to let families know that the MetroWest community offers assistance.

Jewish Family Service offers mental health services, including counseling and case management services to families who are experiencing economic distress. Those in crisis can call (973) 765-9050 or email .

Many people no longer have health insurance to cover clinical services and they are unable to pay the fees out of pocket. MetroWest HELPS and JFS subsidize these clients, who pay on a sliding scale.

JVS provides job placement, group workshops, resume preparation, and career assessment tools to identify transferable skills from work, volunteer, and life experiences. They also maintain a website, www.mwjobs.org, where 45 area synagogues post jobs available in their congregants’ companies and communities. To obtain a login and password, contact Linda Popick at . All other job seekers should contact Meryl Kanner at (973) 674-6330, ext. 271, or at .

“We are in the forefront in providing assistance to those who are experiencing financial crisis,” said Caren Ford, Assistant Executive Director for Program Services at JVS. “We are in a better position to help than most other communities across the state.”

More than 200 people have called JVS in recent months, many of whom are unemployed for the first time in their careers or are women returning to work because their husbands have lost their jobs. Nearly 25 percent of job seekers are 60 or older and returning to work because their retirement savings have evaporated.

JVS offers several needs-based, interest-free scholarship loans for various courses of study to Jewish full-time college or graduate students residing in MetroWest. Contact Lynne Robbins at (973) 674-6330, ext. 272, or .

For additional information on all MetroWest HELPS services, contact Diane Klein at (973) 9293094 or .

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United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ
901 Route 10 • Whippany, NJ 07981
Phone: (973) 929-3000 • Fax: (973) 884-7361
www.ujcnj.org •