ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ has received a grant from The Jewish Federations of North America’s Center on Aging and Trauma, a project of the Holocaust Survivor Initiative. When combined with matching funds, this award will enable $49,665 in continued programming for second-generation caregivers and the Holocaust survivors for whom they care for the next year. In addition, all staff who work with Holocaust survivors will receive ongoing training on person-centered, trauma-informed care.
“As the Holocaust survivors in our community age and decline, they depend more and more on their children for support,” said Liz Levy, coordinator of Holocaust services for JFS MetroWest NJ. “When we are able to meet the needs of their second-generation caregivers, the overall care for survivors is also improved.”
“Holocaust survivors are our teachers and our heroes,” said Mark Wilf, chairperson of JFNA’s board of trustees and past chairperson of JFNA’s Holocaust Survivor Initiative. “With inspiring strength and conviction, they teach us about the past. Now, they are teaching us how to better serve all older adults who have survived trauma. We are honored to partner with the federal government to lead this initiative and call on all communities to come together to support Holocaust survivors in need.”
This grant is part of The Jewish Federations of North America’s partnership with the federal government to improve lives for Holocaust survivors. Recognizing the value of the person-centered, trauma-informed approach, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living has awarded a new grant of $5 million to JFNA’s Center on Aging and Trauma to serve Holocaust survivors, other older adults with a history of trauma, and their family caregivers. Funds from private philanthropists complement the federal grant.
Reports suggest that one out of three Holocaust survivors in the United States lives in poverty, and as many as 90 percent of older adults in the United States have a history of trauma, which can be caused by events such as war, violence, accidents, domestic or sexual abuse, or discrimination based on race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the challenges experienced by Holocaust survivors and other older populations. Many live alone and are at risk for social isolation, depression, and other physical and mental health conditions.
This program is made possible by federal funds from a grant through The JFNA Center on Aging and Trauma. Approximately 75 percent of the project, or $37,249, comes from federal sources; the remaining approximately 25 percent, or $12,416, comes from non-federal sources.
For more information, call 973765-9050 or visit www.jfsmetrowest.org.
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