After losing his job and his marriage, Hank had hit rock bottom.
When he came to Jewish Family Services (JFS) for treatment, he was struggling with severe depression. He lacked secure housing, money, and basic necessities.
Hank had walked through most of his life with untreated bipolar disorder, which made his isolation, unhappiness, and suicidal ideations a serious concern.
When JFS Case Management Services stepped in, things took a turn for the better. They helped Hank obtain:
An apartment
Credit counseling
Psychiatric services
Prescription assistance
Therapy
Now, Hank has gradually shown signs of mood improvement, an interest in socializing, and has a full-time job!
Like Hank, many of us have needed help obtaining services that put us back on our brightest path.
Which person or service has helped steer you on your journey?
Just 18 years old, pregnant, and homeless, Linda thought her only option was to drop out of school. She was lost and overwhelmed.
Seeking clarity, she went to Family Connections, and the people she met there helped her find another way.
She stayed in school, eventually got 2 jobs, and found her own place to stay.
She even made the Dean’s List at community college!
Linda says, “I realized that there are people who will help you.” She learned to get what she wanted in life by working hard to reach her goals:
“When you have a good job and you’re taking care of yourself and your child, that’s the best feeling ever.”
The Holiday Fund Impact
When you give to the Holiday Fund, you are part of the amazing work of Family Connections because your gift goes directly to brightening the future of more people like Linda.
I believe that the best charity is local.
People around you, maybe even people you’ve seen before, are benefiting because of your gift.
It’s real.
It’s transformative.
And it’s happening no matter how big or small a gift you give.
Delilah has had a turbulent relationship with love throughout her life.
When she was a little child and was abandoned in the care of another family before being taken back by her mother a few years later.
Recently, she got in touch with the Family Service League (FSL) because her pastor had been manipulating and assaulting her, all in the name of spiritual healing.
Now, through weekly meetings at FSL, Delilah has been finding her voice and regaining control of her life.
We’re thankful for the stellar agencies we partner with, like FSL and others who are making a difference in people’s lives every day.
In the Newark area and in need of a telehealth therapy session? Or in-person?
The hybrid treatment model of the Family Service Bureau (FSB) provides both kinds of services and helps maintain attendance and client engagement. This innovative approach has allowed FSB to serve almost 5,000 people through individual therapy sessions in 2021.
When you donate today at holidayfund.org, you help agencies like FSB provide one-on-one help to our neighbors in need. Would you consider helping them and 10 other agencies continue their critical work by generously today?
Learn more about the Family Service Bureau, a branch of the New Community Corporation, in this annual report.
It’s a lot of softball to play – and money to pay – for one day.
In 2019, Barry Carter of NJ.com profiled – of all things – a group of rival law firms playing friendly softball games where the rules are slightly strange.
If a player strikes out, causes a double play, or gives up a home run, they pay $125. If they give up a grand slam, the price is $500.
And when eight law firms and lawyers from Prudential play this game for six hours, they can net anywhere from $70,000 to $100,000.
Where does this money go, you ask?
It goes to sending city kids from the Greater Newark area to camp through the Fresh Air Fund.
How the Giving Tradition Began
For over 30 years, lawyers in New Jersey have organized the annual Battle of the Barristers Charity Softball Tournament.
The tradition began with two law firms, Gibbons and the then-Robinson, Wayne, and Greenberg, who played a friendly match simply for bragging rights.
The losers would treat the winners to drinks after each game until they realized, what if we paid it forward instead?
Enter the Fresh Air Fund, an initiative of the Newark Day Center. Michael Griffinger, 83, senior director with Gibbons, recalls the days when only lawyers played, and the umpires were federal judges.
“None of the lawyers would fight with the judges, because they would have to see them in court the next day,” he laughed.
Today, the tournament has grown to encompass employees from other departments, a variety of other firms, and even Prudential.
Hundreds of Kids Sent to Camp
Every summer, some 200 to 400 kids benefit from the great outdoors due to the funds raised by the Battle of the Barristers.
That’s a lot of kids, and a lot of time well spent.
Newark Day Center is just ONE of the ELEVEN charities that the Greater Newark Holiday Fund supports. No matter where you come from, we are grateful for your contribution. And when you partner with the Holiday Fund, your gift is funneled across all 11 charities.
Head to our giving page and show your support today. Talk with your coworkers, friends, and family members about pitching in. Every amount sends a message of support.
