Now that 2020 is over, we are proud to bring you the final Giving Tuesday tally. As you may remember, our initial goal was to raise enough money to bring warm winter clothing to 100 clients. However, with the support of our dedicated community and donors, we were able to outfit more than 205 clients with warm boots, hats, mittens, and coats this winter! We more than doubled our goal and were absolutely blown away by the support we received from our new and long-time donors.

Since our last update the donation total has risen significantly thanks to a special contribution made by TanenbaumCHAT who challenged their staff community to raise money with the promise that they would match that amount. Their help alone allowed us to provide winter clothing to 24 additional clients!

Again, we want to thank each and every one of you who donated, liked, reposted, and supported us in our campaign efforts. None of this would have been possible without our incredible community and your passionate dedication to helping others.

With the current health guidelines in place, we know how difficult it can be for our workers to ensure that their clients' needs are being met. Fortunately, JF&CS has our own incredible delivery driver who works tirelessly to ensure that each client is receiving the food and necessities they need. Our driver speaks multiple languages and can communicate with so many different people, turning deliveries into an often much-needed social interaction for our clients during this isolating time.

These past few months, instead of inviting our community to our regular drop-off toy drives and in person events, our delivery driver was busy bringing healthy food, warm winter clothing and activities for children to clients all over the GTA. We are proud to say that our driver was able to complete a total of 446 deliveries with the majority of those being delivered to isolated clients in need of financial assistance, Holocaust survivors, woman abuse clients, and those who receive counselling.

The fall months were especially difficult for everyone. It was cold, snowy, and with the holidays approaching, we knew how important it was to make sure our clients were delivered some form of holiday cheer. This year, more than ever, Drive for Dreidels provided our clients with toys and gift cards, letting our community know that we are still able to support them, even from a distance.

Despite staying apart, we are so pleased to have been able to continue contributing to the well-being of our clients. The efforts we made reinforce our promise that if you are in need of assistance and can’t get to us, we will come to you!

Losing a loved one is never easy. In these uncertain and isolating times, the challenge of dealing with grief is even greater. Typically, Jewish people sit Shiva surrounded by friends and family to bring comfort and support to those grieving. We see now, more than ever, how important this tradition is when it no longer becomes an option.

Thanks to a generous donation by community member Ali Wasserman, the Jewish Hospice Program and Development/Communications team were able to put together ‘Grief Kits.’ These kits are designed to reflect the needs of members of our community experiencing grief during COVID-19 and support them in an innovative and concrete way.

In the grief kits, recipients were given meditative colouring books and colouring pencils, a picture frame, a book of puzzles, essential oils, a stress ball, a journal, some journaling prompts, and numerous resources on coping with grief. Each item was thoughtfully selected to aid in relaxation, bring comfort, and to demonstrate to our clients that we are there for them despite not being able to be physically present. We are so grateful to Ali Wasserman for partnering with us to be able to provide these kits to those who need them.

During a time of isolation, care-kits for JF&CS clients are a meaningful way for community members to demonstrate their support for others during this difficult time. The Grief Kits were launched as a pilot project, but demand has already exceeded our current capacity. If you are interested in supporting this initiative, please click here. 

As many of you know, on the evening of December 10, 2020, a fire broke out at the West Don Apartments at 6250 Bathurst Street. A large number of those living in the building are seniors, Holocaust survivors and social service users in our community, many of whom face ongoing hardship due to isolation, which has been intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon hearing the terrible news of the fire, JF&CS staff worked alongside Circle of Care, Bernard Betel Centre and UJA to ensure that those affected by the tragedy were able to receive food, care, support and translation services where necessary.

Together, we were able to deliver over 600 meals to residents of the building and received countless offers of help from those within our community. JF&CS continues to support those who were injured and/or displaced as a result of the fire and wants to remind our community that we are here for you now more than ever as we navigate these difficult times.

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