jfs honors home health aide of the year jfs recently...

A Newsletter for JFS Volunteers, Older Adultsand EMBRACE Members

JFS Connect – Summer 2015

JFS Honors Home Health Aide of the Year

JFS recently honored our employees at the annual Employee Appreciation Dinner and named the Home Health Care Aide of the Year. This year’s recipient was Dorothy Deguit, CNA.

Dorothy was born in Manila, Philippines where she earned her college degree in science. She moved to the United States in 1988 and became a citizen in 1993.

Dorothy began working at JFS in 2009 at the recommendation of another employee. She works the evening and overnight shifts for JFS, as she and her brother live with and take care of their mother during the day.

Jan Ganderson, director of nursing, stated, “Dorothy is an exemplary employee. She’s always willing to fill in at the last minute and does whatever she can to help.” Ganderson continued, “She is caring, compassionate, and reliable.”

Dorothy is a true professional who always anticipates the needs of her clients and assures their safety. She received the aide of the year honor after a unanimous vote by the home health care staff.

Also honored this year was Ella Matthews, CNA, who holds the honor of being the longest employed at JFS: 35 years.

Over the past 35 years, Ella has cared for thousands of clients on all shifts. She always works as part of a team and will often willingly cover a case for 24 hours a day if necessary.

Ganderson stated, “Ella is commited and dedicated to her clients. She is able to ‘rolls with the punches’ and is willing to fill in during inclement weather if needed. She also serves as a mentor to our younger or newer aides.”

During the dinner, JFS also recognized employees who have worked for five, ten, 20, and 25 years.

Betty Ann Levin, JFS executive director, relayed a story about a little boy standing at the shore, picking up and throwing starfish back into the ocean. An older man asks him what he is doing, and the little boy replies, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.” The man tells the little boy that there are miles and miles of beach and thousands of starfish, and that he can’t possibly make a differ-ence. The little boy gently picks up another starfish, tosses it back into the ocean, smiles, and said, “It made a difference to that one.”

Levin reminded each employee that every day, they make a difference in the lives of our clients and in the Hampton Roads community. •


Leo Buscaglia said, “It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for some-

thing. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person-kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.”

As a volun-teer Friendly Visitor for JFS, this is exactly what Susan Katz is doing. A labor and delivery nurse for 33 years, caring is in her blood. As she

eased her way into retirement, she was looking for a way to continue caring for others in a less physically demand-ing way.

She started volunteering for JFS 15 years ago, and has been a Friendly Visitor to more than ten JFS clients over the years. Currently, she is a

Friendly Visitor for a 78-year-old woman who is blind and lives alone. Joyce* has no family nearby, so her animals are her “family”; she has several birds, cats, and a dog.

Joyce is extremely independent. She loves to cook and has a very organized kitchen. Even so, she has come to rely on Susan’s help. Susan will visit with Joyce every couple of weeks and calls frequently to check in on her in between visits. “I try to be the family that she is missing,” says Susan.

When Susan visits, she will take Joyce to the grocery store, or Home Depot, or to get her hair cut. When Susan is clipping coupons, she will clip coupons she knows Joyce would use as well.

“She’s a very spry woman,” says Susan. “I have to sit in a motorized cart because of my back, and Joyce will run after me with her cane.”

Over the past five years that Susan has been visiting Joyce, their relation-ship has grown. “Joyce is more like family or a friend to me than a client,”

says Joyce. “She is a hard nut to crack, but she’s a phenomenal lady and a real joy.”

Susan continues, “Our relation-ship has grown so that I’m comfort-able enough to tell her certain things.” Susan will often tell her when she needs to change her shirt. “I’ll ask her if she’s wearing her golf shirt, because it has 18 holes,” Susan jests.

“I’ve always enjoyed caring for others and feel very fortunate to be able to do so,” says Susan. “Being a Friendly Visitor has enriched my life; I’ve learned to be more patient. I know I get as much out of our relationship as Joyce does.”

If you would like to enrich a life by being a JFS Friendly Visitor, please call Jody Laibstain at 757-321-2222. •

*Name changed for confidentiality

“I try to be the family that she is missing.”

Friendly Visitor Helps Blind Woman Maintain Her Independence

Hebrew Ladies Charity Society Update

For the past 113 years, through several generations of change, the Relief Committee of Hebrew Ladies Charity Society (HLCS) has honored its mission of meeting the needs of local Jewish families requiring urgent financial assistance.

The organization has been there to provide food to Jewish families in need for the High Holidays; Chanukah money for parents to provide gifts for their children; and money for food for Passover Seders. HLCS has also provided money to families in crisis for rent, utility bills, doctor bills, medicine, and for other financial emergencies. In recent years, through a partnership with JFS, HLCS has provided funds for home nursing care, medicines, home hospice care, and services for senior adults.

In January 2015, HLCS made some changes. The mission remains the same as when it was founded in 1902, but now it will continue through the JFS Food and Financial Assistance program. HLCS will exclusively support this program through an increased commitment from its endowment fund within the Jewish Family Service Foundation, as well as through ongoing support by the HLCS membership.

One of the many local families that has benefitted from this program is a family with three teenaged children. One of their parents unexpectedly became seriously ill and was unable to return to work. As they waited for financial help from Social Security, the other parent worked two jobs and still did not have enough money to pay bills. They came to JFS when they got a cut-off notice from Virginia Dominion Power. A JFS Case Manager was able to utilize funds from HLCS to offer concrete help with the cut-off notice and mounting medical bills, and provide money for a festive meal for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah holiday. •

The Senior Section


By Jody Laibstain, Volunteer Coordinator

How do the seniors in our community celebrate the Jewish holidays? Many of

them reside at Beth Sholom Home where celebrating Jewish holidays are a regular part of their resident program-ming. Other people reside in non-Jewish nursing facilities but have family members who are local and can bring the holidays to them.

But what happens to residents who have no family in the area and every Jewish holiday is just like every other day of the year? JFS, along with some of our area synagogues and schools, deliver holiday goodie bags to nursing home residents. Each year, Ohef Sholom Religious School students decorate Chanukah bags filled with

homemade Chanukah cookies, dreidels, gelt, and a Chanukah card, which JFS volunteers deliver to about 80 seniors in our community.

In years past, students at Temple Emanuel baked hamentaschen to put in shaloch manot bags filled with candies for area seniors. The art students at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater decorated large bags that JFS filled with a Passover and/or Rosh Hashanah meal for our New American residents and for individuals who are unable to prepare a holiday meal for themselves. These meals, along with matzoh and macaroons for Passover and honey cakes for Rosh Hashanah, are made possible by the Pincus Paul fund.

It takes an entire community to

show our seniors that they are not forgotten. With the help of many, JFS is able to bring the holidays to people who would not have the joy of celebrating.

If you know of anyone who resides in a non-Jewish nursing facility or senior village, please contact Jody Laibstain at 757-321-2222 or [email protected] so we may include them in our holiday outreach. •

Senior Outreach: It Takes a Village

Friendly Visitor Helps Blind Woman Maintain Her Independence

**FREE** COMMUNITY SHOWING of the Glen Campbell documentary “I’ll Be Me”

Sunday, October 11 @ 2:00 PMThursday, October 15 @ 7:00 PM

Simon Family JCC5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Virginia Beach

Registration details coming soon!

Plus, come early on Oct. 11th to enjoy the

2nd Annual JFS Stop & Shopfor Helping Hearts!

Visit lots of local vendors!1:00 – 5:00 PM in the Cardo

{ }After the movie, the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions ofmedical professionals who specialize in Alzheimer’s and dementia, including

Dr. Hamid R. Okhravi, Glennan Center at EVMS

Save the Dates!

In 2011, music legend Glen Campbell set out on an unprecedented tour across America. They thought it would last 5 weeks; instead it went for 151 spectacular sold out shows over a triumphant year and a half across America. What made this tour extraordinary was that Glen had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He was told to hang up his guitar and prepare for the inevitable. Instead, Glen and his wife went public with his diagnosis and announced that he and his family would set out on a “Goodbye Tour.” This film documents this amazing journey.

Hospice & Palliative Care O F T I D E W A T E R

FREDA H. GORDONPresentedby

in our community!

Drop off food any time year-round to JFS @ 260 Grayson Road, Virginia Beach

Monday thru Friday, 10 AM - 4 PM

Help Jewish Family Service of Tidewater


Hebrew Academy Third Graders Practice Tzedakah

Hebrew Academy of Tidewater third graders from Mrs. Brashevitzky’s Judaic Studies class recently re-stocked the shelves of JFS’s Milk and Honey Food Assistance program.

Throughout the school year, students brought in money from their families as part of their weekly tzedakah project. By the end of the year, they had collected $200. “I wanted the students to experience tzedakah as a hands-on experience,” said Mrs. Brashevitzky. As a class, they had decided to purchase food items that families could use and ordered several boxes from Amazon Pantry. They used their money to purchase peanut butter, tuna, cereal, canned vegetables, pasta, and snacks.

The JFS Milk and Honey Food Assistance program annually reaches out to over 75 different people from local Jewish families in financial need. Many of these families do not have enough funds to pay their bills and purchase food/household supplies. As the students re-stocked empty shelves, Debbie Mayer, JFS Clinical Director, talked with them about how their project would help hungry people and thanked them for their generosity. •

Noah Alperin, 13, and his fam-ily celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Israel in February

2015. Noah and his family decided to order and use JFS’s Baskets of Hope to decorate tables during the Bar Mitzvah celebration. The proceeds from these

baskets go back to JFS to help support food and financial assistance to local Jewish families in need.

Noah had come to JFS earlier in the year to volun-teer his time by

helping sort and stock canned food in JFS’s Milk and Honey Food Assistance program. He also gave a personal finan-cial contribution from his Bar Mitzvah gifts to further help JFS help those in need.

Noah’s mom, Dr. Lori Alperin, said, “I was in a bad car accident a few years ago and had used the services of JFS’s Home Health program. We really valued and appreciated the help and have felt that JFS had a place in our hearts. When our son was preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, we focused in on JFS when looking for a way for him to do volunteer work in the community.”

Noah said, “I know JFS is a really good cause. They help everyone, not just Jewish families. I decided to help stock their Milk and Honey Food As-sistance Program. I was glad that they could use me and I was glad to help.”

JFS is very grateful for the time and funds that Noah and family gave to the agency. •

Hunger is Year–RoundGiving Back At a

Young Age

in our community!

For many here in our community.

being HUNGRY is an everyday

fact of life.

BUT YOU CAN

HELP!

6Drop off food any time year-round

to JFS @ 260 Grayson Road, Virginia BeachMonday thru Friday, 10 AM - 4 PM

*No glass please

For more information, contact

Jody Laibstain, 757-321-2222 or [email protected] Kettyle, 757-459-4640 or [email protected]

WIPE OUTHunger!

Help Jewish Family Service of Tidewater

September is Hunger Action Month,but for many here in our community

being HUNGRY is an everyday fact of life.{ }Take bags filled with canned and/or non-perishable food

to your synagogue at Yom Kippur or any time year-round to

the JFS Food Closets260 Grayson Road, Virginia BeachMonday thru Friday, 10 AM - 4 PM

Here’s how you can help!

For more information, contact :

Jody Laibstain, 757-321-2222 or [email protected] Kettyle, 757-459-4640 or [email protected]

JFS Connect – Summer 2015 Page 5

Hunger is Year–Round

Volunteer Voices


Do YOU want to make a difference?

JFS is always looking for people who want to make a difference in the lives our clients! We currently need:

• Knitters to join our Knitters Club that meets on Wednesday mornings.

• Friendly Visitors to visit clients.• People who love to work in an

office filing documents for our Personal Affairs Management program.

Call Jody Laibstain at 321-2222!

Save the Date!

Volunteers: Mark your calendarsfor the annual JFS

Volunteer Appreciation Lunch!

Wednesday, October 712:00 Noon

New venue this year:Ohef Sholom Temple

530 Raleigh Avenue, Norfolk, VA

Watch your mailbox foryour invitation in September!

Today, families are always on the go, busy with sports, after-school activi-ties, recitals, and homework. There is often little time or energy left to spend time together as a family. But time together is vital, and volun-

teering as a family is a great way to bring everyone together for a good cause.How does volunteering positively affect children? Volunteering can enhance

children’s social development and encourage a sense of accountability. Volunteer-ing also teaches children social responsibility and helps instill a deep, lifelong ethic of serving others. For teens, volunteering for a specific cause they’re pas-sionate about can be a great resume builder for job or college searches.

Children who volunteer start to recognize the needs outside their own walls, the importance of serving others, and the joy that comes in helping. Volunteer-ing also provides an opportunity for them to meet, talk, and work alongside people of all generations.

JFS is fortunate to have some great families and young volunteers. Youth from the Camp JCC recently helped prepare 1,200 brown bags for JFS to dis-tribute to local temples for food collections this fall.

Coryn Sandler, daughter of Michael and Marty Sandler, recently celebrated her eighth birthday with a big party, and instead of gifts, asked her friends to bring non-perishable food to donate to the JFS Food Closet. Coryn and two of her friends, along with her mother and grandmother Arlene Owens, a JFS vol-unteer, recently delivered the food to JFS and stocked the Food Closet shelves. •

Instilling a Volunteer Spirit in Our Youth

Source: http://vancouverfamilymagazine.com/compassionate-kids-instilling-volunteer-spirit/

Camp JCC youth helping

out at JFS.

Coryn and her friends were all

smiles as they stocked the

shelves of the JFS Food Closet.

• Family owned and operated since 1917

• Professional, experienced, caring staff

• Affordable services to fit any budget

• Flexible burial options

• Advance funeral planning

• Flexible payment options

w w w.a l t m e y e r .c o m Approved by all area Rabbis and Chevrah Kadisha

James E. Altmeyer, Sr., OwnerJames E. Altmeyer, Jr., President

Chris Sisler, Vice PresidentMember of Ohef Sholom Temple

Board member of the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village

SouthSide Chapel5792 Greenwich Road

Virginia Beach757 422-4000

RiveRSide Chapel7415 River Road Newport News757 245-1525

denbigh Chapel 12893 Jefferson Avenue

Newport News757 874-4200

MaeStaS Chapel1801 Baltic Avenue

Virginia Beach757 428-1112

CheSapeake Chapel929 S. Battlefield Boulevard

Chesapeake757 482-3311


Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDNorfolk, VA

Permit No. 280

Return Service Requested

E-delivery will save trees, conserve paper and reduce mailbox clutter. To sign up, please email [email protected].

260 Grayson RoadVirginia Beach, VA 23462

On the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community

757–321–2222www.jfshamptonroads.org

Find us on:

The many ways Jewish Family Service of Tidewaterserves the entire community:

You never know when you’ll need help, but you’ll always know where to find it.

Home Health Care – 757-489-3111Skilled Nursing | Home Health Aides | Physical Therapy | Speech TherapyOccupational Therapy | Nutrition | Counseling | Mental Health Nursing

Wound Care Nursing

Older Adult Services – 757-321-2222Care Management | Meals on Wheels | Senior Companions

Volunteer Services | Personal Affairs Management | Elder Support NetworkTransportation Services

Clinical & Adoption Services – 757-459-4640Special Needs Services | Grief Counseling | Financial Assistance

Substance Abuse Counseling | Food Closet | Dozoretz Center for Family HealingJessica Glasser Children’s Therapeutic Pavilion

jfs honors home health aide of the year jfs recently...

Documents