“JFS helped me so much. They helped me financially, they helped me find what I needed.”
—Don, long-time JFS client
Don first came to JFS through his wife Hannah, a Holocaust survivor who was already receiving assistance to help cope with the trauma of her early life. A Kansas City native and Navy veteran who served in duty stations all over the United States, Don supported Hannah through difficult years learning more about her family’s wartime history and, later, her declining health.
He credits the resilience he gained from his military service and the guidance he received from JFS for helping him help Hannah. When his wife passed away after a long illness in 2018, Don needed our help more than ever.
JFS has been able to help Don with a variety of services, including our KesherKC Food Pantry, Calling Connections and many of our Older Adult Programs. Don’s JFS Older Adult Care Manager connected him to JET Express to ensure he has transportation to vital appointments, and to Help@Home, which helps him maintain his long-time home in Kansas City, MO.
During the pandemic, Don particularly missed his visits to the JFS Kansas offices at the J, where he has always enjoyed spending time with his “JFS friends.” But JFS Care Manager, Jana Fielder, who has become an important part of Don’s community since the loss of his wife, continued to stay in touch and ensure he received services remotely. These included help staying on top of his finances, food and hygiene supplies from the KesherKC Food Pantry, and guidance to access the care he needed to stay healthy and active.
As one of the largest providers of services for older adults in the Kansas City area, JFS provides vital programs to help our clients maintain their independence and stay connected to the people and places they love. This year, JFS Care Managers have already helped more than 900 older adults and their families navigate complicated living situations, sign up for Medicare and other government benefits, and connect to the agency’s programs to provide home repairs and transportation so people can age safely in their own homes.
In the broader community, JFS’s impact also continues to grow. Despite supply chain disruptions and the rising cost of food, we have already served nearly 3,000 Kansas Citians in 2022, providing food, diapers, and personal hygiene items through the Food Pantry and assistance navigating health and housing issues. JFS therapists have provided nearly 2,800 counseling sessions, both online and in-person, to clients ranging from young children to older adults.
For Don and many others like him, time spent with JFS Care Managers, JET Express drivers, and Help@Home staff and volunteers are often the highlight of the week.
“I always try to make them laugh before we part,” Don says. “I can say for sure I wouldn’t be here today if JFS hadn’t helped me – and they keep on helping, with whatever I need.”
Your support of JFS makes it possible for us to help Don and thousands more in our community. This year, rising food and fuel costs are impacting individuals and families throughout the Kansas City metro, and we’re once again asking for your help to ensure that no one who comes to JFS – for food, for help with utility costs, for mental health support, or help with the challenges of aging – is turned away.
With winter fast approaching and household costs still rising, many low-income households in Kansas City are wondering how they will make ends meet in the coming months. Will you donate today to help Kansas Citians like Don, who are in need of a little extra support to overcome their everyday challenges?
“I want everyone to know how much JFS helped me and how important it is to support them,” said Don. “We all have to help each other however we can.”
