The Elayne and James Schoke Jewish Family Service of Fairfield County, Connecticut will celebrate its 50th anniversary at a gala dinner this Sunday, May 18.
JFS has much to be proud of. Founded in 1975 with a staff of three in Stamford, Connecticut, it has now grown into a multifaceted social services organization with a much broader reach, serving 15 towns in southern Fairfield County, a catchment area comprising about 30,000 Jews. The first expansion in 1990 allowed the agency to reach the towns of Westport, Weston, Wilton and Norwalk. The organization now offers counseling, geriatric care services, emergency assistance including Hebrew free loans, Holocaust survivor services, initiatives to combat food insecurity, and camp scholarships. Today the organization employs 25 people including 10 therapists, a psychiatric nurse practitioner who provides medication, a psychiatric medical director, four interns and five case managers.
It all began with the need to resettle the first influx of refugees to the United States from the former Soviet Union. Between 1975 and 1985, over 800 families received support in this context. In the meantime, other service areas grew out of existing ones. In this way, support for the elderly was started in the late 1970s with the Home Companion referral service. Initially this involved in-home case management, which grew as Schoke JFS developed a registry of home companions whom clients could contract directly. Today the registry lists 300 independent contractors. As CEO Matt Greenberg explained, “This allows us to provide the service at lower cost since Schoke JFS does not employ the aides.”
One of the things that showcases the uniqueness of Schoke JFS is its Home Companion Program, which graduated its first class in 1987. In addition to covering the basics of care, this 12-week course also includes explanations of kashrut and Shabbat observance, so that the companion is equipped to function in a Jewish home. While Schoke JFS serves both Jews and non-Jews, this subspecialty allows for greater flexibility in matching caregivers to clients, and is a tribute to the agency’s flexibility and willingness to meet the needs of everyone whom it serves. The training course was developed by a licensed social worker, resulting in a certificate of completion, including background checks and health screenings. “This is the only agency of this type that offers this kind of training,” said Greenberg.
Other services include sitter services for companionship at home or in hospital, nursing home or rehab facility; home companion services, covering household chores, grocery shopping and transportation; and personal care services, whereby JFS arranges for a certified nurse’s aid to assist with activities of daily living.
It is not only elderly people with continuing care needs who use this service. Ronnie Sichel, a longtime volunteer and current board member, related how she recently used the registry for a couple of days post-surgery, which freed her husband to leave the house to go to work without worrying about her.
In 2003 JFS of Stamford started offering case management for the elderly, coordinating care and making sure that each client is connected to the appropriate government and other social and community services to maximize quality of life and independence. Schoke JFS now has five case managers working full-time to manage a full caseload. This year the team has seen over 350 people in case management.
In 2021 Schoke JFS of Stamford received a grant to install set top boxes in the homes of older clients. This simplified version of the internet allows the elderly and Holocaust survivors to attain the most important thing in life: connection—to friends, family and the world outside home. Schoke JFS has installed Uniper set top boxes in 85 homes with special content for the elderly, and has set a national example for this program.
Counseling services have been part of JFS almost since the beginning. As early as 1979, JFS was offering crisis intervention, a widow-to-widow support group, and a Jewish Life Family Education program to help families deal with the challenges of daily life. The depth and breadth of counseling services at JFS have only grown with the decades, targeting individuals, couples and families. Recently a child therapy room has been outfitted for children and dedicated to the memory of Tova Feldstein, z’l, who was a beloved early childhood educator in the Stamford Jewish community before passing away suddenly two years ago. From time to time divorce support groups are formed; and the Stamford Chevra Kadisha has awarded a grant to cover the costs of several bereavement groups. Schoke JFS makes every effort to make counseling support available to all comers regardless of financial status.
One of the crown jewels of Schoke JFS is the Freedberg Family Kosher Food Pantry. In 2002, as part of his bar mitzvah preparation, a local boy wanted to start a kosher food pantry. He collected cereal boxes and cans of soups and vegetables, which were stored in a closet. JFS alerted all the other organizations in town, and from time to time someone would show up to pick up some food, perhaps one or two people per month. A 2007 move to new offices presented the chance to create a dedicated space with a separate entryway for the pantry, which resulted in a slight uptick in utilization to about one or two people per week. Then came the 2008 recession. From one to two people a week, JFS started seeing one to two people a day.
The long tail of the recession had barely receded when COVID hit and demand surged to 40-50 people a day on the days when the pantry was open. Volunteers would load bags of food into cars, 50 at a time, and drop them at one or two synagogues in Westport. From there they were further distributed to homes in the surrounding towns. It was during COVID that the mobile food truck was acquired, donated in memory of Saul Cohen, z”l by his wife, Mimi; it is the only Kosher Mobile Food Truck in Connecticut. At about the same time, JFS started its Hirsch Kosher Home Delivered Meal service. This consists of five flash-frozen meals from Mauzone delivered weekly to individuals along with fresh fruits, bread, soup and dessert. Interested parties may sign up for the service for a modest fee of approximately $7.50 per meal. It is the only agency-operated kosher home delivery in Fairfield County. Finally, Schoke JFS runs a small Shabbat meal program provided by Restaurant 613, which serves five to 10 families per week. In addition to local food banks, a local bakery and a restaurant, and food rescued from supermarkets, Schoke JFS receives distributions from Midwest Food Bank-New England.
After COVID, with the expansion of its service area to all of southern Fairfield County, Schoke JFS sought regional partners to help distribute food. There are now eight monthly distribution partners serving approximately 50 families across southern Fairfield County.
In keeping with JFS’s mandate of helping families maintain Jewish family life and continuity, the Joan and Ben Zinbarg Camp Scholarship was established in 1999. This scholarship helps between 40-50 Jewish children each year go to a Jewish summer camp. (The application deadline for this year was April 1.)
“It is difficult in an organization like this to see the impact of the things that we do,” said Greenberg. “Often it takes years for things to play out. The food pantry and the camp scholarship program are two areas where it is possible to see an immediate impact, and that is gratifying.”
Speaking with people in the community who either work for the agency, or who have taken advantage of its services, one hears nothing but praise. Rebekah Kanefsky, a member of the social work staff, said she loves how the agency adapts so readily to the changing needs of the community, and how “if someone needs something, I can help them at their moment of need, without jumping through hoops or wading through red tape.” Jessica Katz is not embarrassed to have benefited from the agency in multiple ways. When her husband suddenly lost his job some time ago, JFS was there to help her navigate unemployment insurance and health insurance for her family; being able to afford counseling has been a huge benefit. Katz is adamant that “JFS is the most important Jewish agency in our community,” and that more people need to be aware of the wonderful work it does.
In honor of its golden anniversary, Schoke JFS will present the 45th Annual Mitzvah Award to its dedicated staff for their unwavering commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals and families in the community. The event will be chaired by Connie Freeman and Esther Rein, with Jeri Appel serving as auction chair.
“The staff of Schoke JFS is the heart and soul of the agency, with a dedicated team of social workers, counselors and administrative professionals who bring compassion, expertise and a deep commitment to their work,” Schoke JFS said in a news release. “Whether providing counseling, supporting the elderly, offering emergency assistance, or addressing food insecurity, their tireless dedication ensures that Schoke JFS continues to have a positive and lasting impact on the lives of individuals throughout Fairfield County.”
An Evening With Schoke JFS will be held this Sunday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. at Temple Beth El, Stamford, Connecticut. Join them and enjoy a vibrant cocktail reception, an unforgettable dinner and hilarious comedy by Talia Reese. The evening will also raise crucial funds for the Japha Family Emergency Assistance Program, and will include a paddle raise benefiting the program and an online auction. General tickets, which include dinner and dessert, are available for $250.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.ctjfs.org/an-evening-with-schoke-jfs/
