WHILE REQUESTS for aid at the Jewish Family and Child Service spiked sharply in the first three quarters of 2008 over the previous year (green bars), the agency’s ability to meet the growing need did not keep pace (blue bars), and declined in the third quarter due to two large grants in aid. (Third-quarter figures January, February only to compare like periods.)

 

EMILY C DAVIS

Task force maps resources, airs fiscal-crisis strategies

By DEBORAH MOON

article created on: 2009-04-01T00:00:00

In this time of economic crisis why is Steve Sirkin so upbeat?

“Amazing kinds of things are going on—it’s wonderful,” said Sirkin, facilitator of the Economic Crisis Task Force of Portland’s Jewish community.

The group’s March 17 meeting included resources available on the Jewish Family and Child Service Web site, information on job-search programs, research on creating a Hebrew Free Loan Society, plans to organize a meeting of congregational and agency leadership to discuss collaborative measures, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s efforts to collect food and goods for community agencies.

The task force grew out of a community-wide discussion on the economic crisis hosted by Congregation Neveh Shalom’s Tikkun Olam Committee last December.

As the community’s family social service agency, JFCS has played a lead role in the community’s response to the economic crisis. JFCS provides a clearinghouse on its Web site of all resources discovered or created by task force members (see box page 14).

Additionally, the agency is on the front lines providing emergency aid, which can include rent, food and utility bill assistance, among other things. While the agency has long supplied such aid, the number and diversity of people seeking that safety net has increased dramatically.

“Traditionally, they have been chronically unemployed, immigrants or disabled,” JFCS Executive Director Marian Fenimore told the task force. “Now we are seeing a real mix—some newly unemployed who are losing their homes to foreclosure, families that formerly had two-parent incomes. They are unfamiliar with government and community resources.”

“We help with aid if we can, but we have very limited resources,” said Fenimore. “But we also connect them to resources.”

Even though the number of calls for aid has increased dramatically, Fenimore said many more people could use aid but are too embarrassed to ask. She said sometimes the agency hears from people who are worried about their friends.

“A lot of people are embarrassed and reluctant to ask for help,” she said.

Rabbi Ariel Stone said that congregations can play an important role in connecting with people who suddenly find themselves in need of financial assistance, many for the first time in their lives.

“Where else would you have the type of connections that would give cover to have somebody checking up on someone else,” Stone said of congregational communities. “We can’t expect JFCS to do everything.”

JFCS Director of Marketing and Development Chana Andler said that in addition to embarrassment, some people are reluctant to seek assistance because they feel guilty.

“There’s a feeling you should have saved more money, that you shouldn’t have bought that (expensive) house,” Andler said. “But even if you made every bad economic choice, you still have to pick up and start again.”

With unemployment in the state reaching double digits, calls for job search assistance are also increasing. JFCS has created two programs for job seekers (see story, page 14).

And Barbara Barde and Susan Goldstein created a “Train the trainers” program to teach JFCS staff how to assist job hunters. The program focuses on six key areas: a realistic view of the current job market; creation of resumes applicable to current market; information on effective interviewing; marketing channels; resume-building opportunities; and general resources.

In addition to difficulty paying for necessities, Andler said those facing economic hardship often feel isolated by their inability to participate in community events that cost money. To help alleviate that sense of isolation, JFCS posts free or low-cost events on its Web site.

JFGP Community Relations Director Bob Horenstein reported on the federation’s efforts to aid the entire community through promoting food and household item donations to charities and through advocacy efforts in Salem. JFGP now serves as a drop site for the Sunshine Pantry and for household items (furniture excluded) for the Oregon Community Warehouse (the JFCS Web site includes a list of most-needed items).

As a followup to last fall’s Social Justice Institute, on Oct. 18, JFGP will host “Give it away day” at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. People will be able to drop off all sorts of items and learn about various charities.

In terms of advocacy efforts, Horenstein said, “We are in for a rough ride.”

“With the state looking at a 3½ to 4 billion dollar deficit in the 09-11 biennium, no one will avoid cuts,” he said. “With each new economic forecast more dismal than the last, it’s going to be a very challenging situation. … The bright light is the federal stimulus.”

Horenstein also talked about the federation’s Heart to Heart emergency campaign to raise emergency funds for core community needs in the local Jewish and general community. He said half of the funds will go to JFCS and half to United Way specifically for emergency assistance.

Stone said she has contacted the Hebrew Free Loan Society in Seattle, who has promised to send her information on how to set up a similar organization here and how to avoid common pitfalls. She expects to report more fully on the effort at the next task force meeting in April or May.

As the meeting concluded, Andler commented that people should view the current crisis as a hard time rather than a bad time.

“At the end, we’ll have more collaboration, more cohesion… we’ll have a created a system for supporting each other,” she said.