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October
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Because YOU are JFS...
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October is a fun month in New England. Many children are looking forward to Halloween in order to dress in a fun costume, go trick or treating with family and friends, and eat lots of candy. Do you know what it means when you see a teal colored pumpkin? Lots of parents who have children with severe food allergies know exactly what it means. They are grateful that many people are now paying attention to a very important issue and instead of having an orange pumpkin, they display a teal one.
The "Teal Pumpkin Project" from the Food and Allergy Research and Education group (known as FARE) raises awareness of food allergies. Many moms and dads will be taking the pledge to have some non-food treats like stickers, bracelets, glow sticks and other items for the safety of children with allergies who don't want to be left out of the fun of the holiday. They may also have one pumpkin painted teal to show inclusion for all all trick or treaters. Now that you are aware of the meaning of the teal pumpkin, will you paint one too?
October has a lot going on, in this newsletter you'll meet Barry Wieder, a volunteer spotlight, read about the Syrian crisis and JFS response, Breast Cancer Awareness month, upcoming opportunities and more!
Make a difference, VOLUNTEER! Recommend a friend too!
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Occupation: Attorney
Time with JFS: About 4 years
Volunteer Position: Friendly Visitor
Barry, like many of the JFS volunteers, thought he could make a difference in the lives of the people he visits so he joined as Friendly Visitor. He is right, he does make a positive difference! When asked what he enjoys most about volunteering with the Friendly Visitor Program, Barry says he enjoys the delightful reaction he gets when he visits his clients. In his spare time, Barry enjoys gardening, reading and traveling to new places.
Thank you, Barry! You have been a Friendly Visitor for people who appreciate your efforts.
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A Serious Humanitarian Issue: We Need your Help!
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Millions of people have been displaced by persecution and conflict in the world population.
Today there is a major humanitarian crisis. Millions of Syrians who have fled their war-torn country need food, clothing and a place to live. Refugees from Syria have no place to go. Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey have helped, but all countries willing to help have many problems accommodating the refugees and they are overwhelmed by the extreme number of people looking for help. The United States government will help by accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees next year. Some people feel this is a small drop in the bucket in this crisis, but most agree that we need to do all that we can to help those in need of safety and protection.
While the Syrian crisis has been highlighted in the news lately, this is a global crisis. The war in Ukraine has displaced over one million people and JFS is at the forefront of the response. The refugee resettlement program works with refugees from all over the world to help them start a new life in the U.S.
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| | Ukrainian refugee family resettled spring 2015 |
Many people are looking for ways to support the refugees in Syria, and there are a few ways to get involved in both advocating for Syrian refugees as well as supporting current refugees arriving from other locations.
Here is a list of 4 things you can do now:
1. Volunteer with refugees and asylum seekers. Contact Sarah Roth, sroth@jfsmw.org 508-875 3100 x 320 to learn about different opportunities and get involved.
2. Sign HIAS' petition calling on the President to resettle 100,000 Syrian refugees into the U.S. this year, to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees abroad, and to address the root causes of the crisis:
4. Stay informed on the latest developments in the global refugee crisis by visiting www.hias.org to learn more and to receive HIAS' action alerts and updates. See the light blue "Sign Up" box on the homepage. What is HIAS? It is the oldest international migration and refugee resettlement agency in the US. It was founded in 1881 in NYC to assist Jews fleeing progroms in Russia and other countries. For questions about the JFS refugee programs and how to get involved, please contact Sarah Roth, sroth@jfsmw.org, 508-875-3100.
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T-Shirt & Hours - Thank you Volunteers!
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In September volunteers contributed 69 hours in the Metrowest community. We're always amazed at all the hours provided to our community! Our clients thank you and we appreciate you for standing up for those left behind.
Once you've reached 20 hours of service you are eligible for a t-shirt. If you have previously been listed in a newsletter, please let us know how you'd like to collect your t-shirt!
Please remember this is based on the number of hours recorded in our system. If you volunteer for programs other than Wilson or Patient Navigator the system does not auto calculate your hours. If you don't know how to log your hours of service, let us know and we'll help you!
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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, breast cancer
is the second most common kind of cancer in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point in their lives.
Many women can survive breast cancer if it is found and treated early. The screening test for breast cancer is a mammogram, which is an x-ray of the breast that checks for breast cancer. The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to raise awareness about the importance of early detection. Spread the word about early detection!
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JFS has many ongoing programs and opportunities. Here are a few of the opportunities available. You can visit our website to learn more about each one:
- Volunteer Mentors with 3rd and 4th grade after-school programs have started! Check out this video to learn more! Contact us as soon as possible to join us in the training and start with new students!
- The next Patient Navigator Training will take place on October 8th, 9am-3pm. To learn what that's all about, watch this video!
Important for all volunteers:
The need to complete all paperwork is mandated for all volunteers. If you haven't done so at this time, please take a moment to complete any required paperwork and be sure to submit all documents to the JFS office.
If you owe any documentation you should have received an e-mail listing the items that need to be updated. Please turn in the documents as soon as possible!
If you have any questions about the documentation, why we collect it, or why it needs to be updated please don't hesitate to contact Sarah Roth, sroth@jfsmw.org, 508-875-3100 x320.
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Sarah Roth, MSW
Manager, Youth, Immigrant
& Volunteer Services
508-875-3100 x320
sroth@jfsmw.org
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Adoption Choices
Since 1982, Adoption Choices has been helping build families in Massachusetts.
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Geriatric Care Management
Using an integrated approach, JFS has been working to meet the needs of elders in our community.
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Patient Navigator
JFS volunteers are working to help facilitate communication with elders and their doctors.
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Learn about these and other JFS programs by visiting our website. |
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475 Franklin St. Suite 101, Framingham, MA 01702
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