In Memoriam Volunteer Spotlight: Ruth Wallace
Dedicated volunteer and friend of JFS Orlando, Ruth M. Wallace, passed away on Friday, September 11, 2020. All of us at JFS are greatly saddened at the loss of such a beautiful and kind friend. We will miss her dearly. In memory of Ruth, she is this month’s JFS Volunteer Spotlight and we are sharing her interview from when she was the October spotlight last year
The Loss That Isn’t
COVID-19 has created a world in which we too often feel like we lack control. No longer can we jump in the car and run to the grocery store; we can’t allow our children to play with whomever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want; and we can’t plan a get-a-way, family gathering or even attend a church or synagogue service. The freedom of movement that we so cherish in our society has been removed and we are left with an odd feeling of what is called ambiguous loss.
10 Tips for Choosing How You Do ‘Back to School 2020’
The decision to send your children back to school next school year is going to be a difficult one, no matter the choice you make. It is important to look at your individual family’s needs versus those of your friends, coworkers, or others. No matter your decision for your family, give yourself some grace as we do not know what the future holds or rather the ‘right decision’ because this is an ever-changing situation with a lot of unknowns.
Volunteer Spotlight: Carla Betts and Jane Cohen
Happy Mother’s Day to all moms, especially our JFS Orlando mom volunteers! Carla Betts is the mom of JFS Assistant Director Heather Petrusky, and Jane Cohen is the mom of JFS Program Coordinator Audrey Cohen.
Life Interrupted: Dealing with what “might have been”
Sometime in the middle of March, life stopped. Students stayed home from school after spring break ended; businesses closed, sending workers to offices in the basement in their homes; plays got cancelled, the NCAA went from the hottest thing to talk about in March to basketball with no fans to, finally, no competition what so ever; restaurants emptied and toilet paper flew off the shelves.
Volunteer Spotlight: Briggett Marquina
Between babysitting for Family Stabilization Program (FSP) workshops and volunteering in the Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry, Briggett Marquina pulls double duty as a JFS Orlando volunteer. When she’s not volunteering, she’s studying Clinical Psychology at UCF to become a child psychologist, going to the gym, or playing with her dog, Saige. Briggett is also an army veteran and served two nine-month deployments to Kuwait. Her selflessness and desire to make a meaningful impact could not be more evident in all that she does.
COVID-19 Virus Update: A letter from our Executive Director
On behalf of the entire organization, please accept our warm wishes and thoughts during this challenging time. I write to provide you, an important part of our community, with updates of our response to the COVID-19 virus.
Volunteer Spotlight: The Wheeler Family
Volunteering is a family affair for the Wheeler Family. “It’s a group thing, all of us going and giving our time,” says Tim Wheeler. “We want to allocate time to help others.”
3 ways to be your own best friend, instead of your biggest critic
Good relationships are important to your mental health. You have probably heard this said a million times. One oft-neglected relationship is particularly important. It’s not with your parents or siblings, your partner, or your closest friend. It is your relationship with yourself.
New Year, New Habits: Five tips for creating healthy habits
As we come into the new year, many people are thinking about making new year’s resolutions, but really we should be focusing on forming long term healthier habits. Statistically most people will stop their ‘new behavioral’ around January 11th. Forming healthy habits can be crucial for the success of any new year’s goals.
