Stories of Hope

How We Have Helped

Jewish Family Service is here for you in times of crisis. We help seniors remain independent, refugees acclimate to a new country, the less fortunate with food and rental assistance, and individuals and families looking for spiritual support or someone to listen. That is what we are here for - to help vulnerable people maintain their livelihoods. Click on the links below to read our "Stories of Hope."

SHALOM Denver
A Fresh Start for Sara Gebre
Last year, Sara separated from her husband, which put enormous stress on her. She had no income and no experience working in America. She had been a secretary in Ethiopia, but those skills didn't transfer easily to Colorado. She faced numerous barriers to employment, the largest which was her difficulty...

JFS Senior Solutions
A Little Help From a Friend
Pat Wigglesworth is a feisty 80-year-old woman who shares her east Denver apartment with her cat, Natasha, and pet tarantula, Fuzzy Roja. Pat has limited mobility and is dependent on oxygen 24/7. Pat’s independence was threatened when it became too difficult for her to get out and about without help. Her family was pushing her hard to move into an assisted-living facility, but Pat didn’t want anything to do with it...

Refugee Mental Health
Pulling Gebru Out of Depression
Gebru Ghilhe, 29, has experienced his share of struggles. He grew up in Eritrea, where the government made it hard for him to lead his life and help his siblings. He fled to Ethiopia about six years ago, where he entered a refugee camp and spent the next four years. It was there that he met his wife and started a family. In 2011, an opportunity arose to come to the United States as a refugee. Seeking a better life for his family, he applied and was resettled in Denver in July 2011. But he couldn’t bring his wife and young son because his wife didn’t have refugee status...

Friendly Visitor Volunteer
A Common Interest Changed Two Lives
Howard was semi-retired and looking for something to add value to his free time. Richard was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and after almost five years needed some help. JFS offers a Friendly Visitor program that Richard found out about from a friend that was using the services. Beth from JFS was Howard and Richard’s “matchmaker” for their new friendship...

Family Safety Net
Joan—Overcoming Grief and Life’s Challenges
This has been a terrible year for “Joan” and her family. Joan’s husband and son-in-law both died within a few months of one another. Her daughter, “Brenda,” and her 7-year-old daughter moved in with Joan so they could share expenses and help one another. However, it has been difficult to adjust to their greatly reduced budgets...

Jewish Disabilities Network
David Last: How Technology Changed a Life
David Last is a happy 12-year-old boy who attends the Denver Jewish Day School. His incredible sense of humor and kind heart lighten the lives of everyone he knows. He enjoys life and learning. David is a bright young man who happens to have been born with cerebral palsy. David’s condition impacts his nervous system, limiting his ability to walk, talk, see, and speak. He can do all of those things, but it just takes him some effort. His muscles are tight and frequently go into spasms...

JFS Senior Solutions
Helping Carol Jeanne Move Past a Toxic Living Situation
Carol Jeanne Stewart, 79, could see magnificent views of downtown Denver and the entire Front Range from her seventh-floor apartment. But what was truly special was her view of the cross at St. Joseph Hospital lit up at night—it gave her peace. She loved her apartment and was happy there for many years. Then things took a turn for the worse...
SHALOM Denver
Heidi Pittaway—Taking Her Life Back
She’s smart, poised, and articulate. At 23 years old, Heidi Pittaway has a brilliant future. She’s currently enrolled in college and has big plans for a career in business. Her ultimate goal is to hold elected office. With her drive, there’s no doubt she’ll make it. Heidi’s future didn’t always look so bright. Just three years ago, she was eight months pregnant with her second daughter. She was a high-school dropout living in a homeless shelter in Parker—scared and alone. Her prospects for the future were non-existent. She had no high school diploma. No work experience. No husband. No family support. No money. No job. And no plan...

JFS at Home
A Little Help Keeps a Senior Living Independently at Home
For Eileen Price, enlisting the services of JFS at Home meant the difference between staying in her own home and moving into an assisted living facility. Eileen has been in her Crestmoor home for 45 comfortable, happy years and intends to stay there for as long as possible. The 83-year-old widow has had macular degeneration for the past 15 years and her vision has slowly deteriorated. She gave up her car years ago and relied on her husband Max to handle driving duties. When he passed away last year, she was suddenly dependent on others to manage her life...

Family Safety Net
The Forn Family—Facing Adversity Head-On
Life was good for Henrietta and Marvin Forn. They had it all—a successful pest-control business, active lives, and a comfortable home. They are both 53 years old and have been married for 35 happy years. They never imagined being in a position of need. In fact, Henrietta used to frequently volunteer her time at a local food pantry, helping others in need. Ten years ago Marvin was diagnosed with kidney failure, and that’s when their lives turned upside down...

JFS Community Chaplaincy Program
JFS Chaplaincy Provides a Spiritual Connection to a Family in Crisis
No one is prepared for a serious accident involving a family member. And when it happens on vacation, far away from friends and support, it can be overwhelming. “Scott Rosen” was involved in life-threatening snowboarding accident at Copper Mountain that left the 16-year-old from the Bay Area in a coma with a serious head injury. The teenager was air-lifted to Craig Hospital and the family rented an apartment nearby to be close to him. Whether he would survive was in question, and the Rosens were consumed with worry. They were in need of spiritual support to get through the trauma...

SHALOM Denver TANF Program
The Book of Joy
My daughter “Ebony” loves books. She sleeps on them, puts them under her pillow, lays them over her like a thick cozy comforter, and carries them with her on her daily travels. I'm not the kind of parent who insists that she reads 10 minutes a day. I don’t check to make sure her homework is completed or monitor her pronunciation. I don't have time for that because I'm in survival mode...

Family Safety Net
Elena's Story of Transformation
“Elena’s” life has not been easy. Born into a wealthy Eastern European family, she has lived the high life—and has lived through more than her fair share of hardship. Elena’s appearance reveals little of her difficult past. Her eyes are clear and youthful and she radiates warmth and intelligence. Although not extravagantly dressed nor made-up, she doesn’t appear to be a woman who’s been through an extremely difficult marriage, years of financial hardship, and a series of health issues that have made it difficult for her to stand or remember things...

International KidSuccess
Recovering From the Trauma of War
“Asad” is a 16-year-old student from Somalia, East Africa. He has lived in the U.S. for about three years. He was 11 when he had to flee his country because of the civil war. Asad lived in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya for two years. His father was a victim of torture back in Somalia and Asad has witnessed much chaos and violence...

Senior Companion Volunteer
Moisey and Sofiya Sandler, two JFS Senior Companion volunteers, were recently honored for 10 and 15 years of service, respectively, to the Senior Companion program...

Senior Solutions
Keeping Rose in Her Home—Safely and with Dignity
“Rose” is an 83-year-old widow living independently in her own home. She came to JFS six years ago after her husband passed away. Rose has no children or family living close by. Initially, JFS provided Rose with housekeeping through the homemaker program and transportation to and from medical appointments...

Employment
Vanessa Cadena: Taking Control Against the Odds
At 21 years old, Vanessa Cadena has seen it all—and lived unspeakable hardships. The mother of two young children, she’s been homeless, living in shelters, in cars, and on countless floors. Growing up, she watched her parents and brothers fall into a destructive cycle of drug and alcohol abuse that made her life miserable and scary. This was not the life Vanessa wanted for herself or her children...

Para-chaplain Volunteer
Prior to meeting “Phyllis,” I learned a few things about her: she was in her early 80’s, had a difficult time with speech due to her Alzheimer’s, had low vision due to macular degeneration, and she wanted to go to Shabbat services at her nursing home...

Weinberg Food Pantry Volunteer
Meet Karen Silverman, Bill Goldberg, and their daughters, Eliana and Margalit. This family has been volunteering with JFS for many years in a number of capacities. Before they had children, Karen and Bill came to JFS with their synagogue chavurah to assemble centerpieces to benefit the Weinberg Food Pantry...