Direct toYouWINTER ’12/’13DIRECT TO YOU

J e w i s h F a m i l y S e r v i c e s , I n c .

A Newsletter for JFS Direct Service Volunteers

Contents

Dear JFS Volunteers 1

Welcome! 1

How Do You Prepare for a Visit 2

Things to Do, Places to Go 3

2013 Forms Arriving Soon! 3

Who is A JFS Volunteer? 4

Chartible Milage 6

JFS Volunteer Webpage 6

What’s New? 7

Activity Report 8

Happy 2013! Welcome to a new year and the ongoing opportunity to make differences in the lives of the clients that you visit, teach and lead in activities. As you prepare to kick off your new year of volunteer service, please remember the mission of Jewish Family Services and how it ties in to the work that you do.

The mission of Jewish Family Services is to provide supportive services that will strengthen families, children and individuals throughout the life cycle within the context of their unique needs and traditions.

Also remember how much JFS appreciates your volunteer work. Your time with clients enriches their lives, their wellbeing and their hopes. This value is not something that can be measured, and we are so grateful for your collaborative support on behalf of JFS clients.

Editor: Susie Gruenberg

Jewish Family Services, Inc.1300 N. Jackson StreetMilwaukee, WI 53202

ph: 414-390-5800fax: 414-390-5808www.jfsmilw.org

Designer: Lindsey Riesinger

Working together, we can truly make a difference and make strides toward achieving our mission.

In this issue, be sure to read about a Golda Meir House volunteer and learn from the experts – JFS volunteers & staff – how to be poised and ready for your work.

Wishing you all the best in this New Year!

Susie

Dear JFS Volunteers

Welcome to Possibility...

Welcome!

JFS would like to give a big “hello and thank you” to our new JFS volunteer: Amy D. We wish you an enjoyable volunteer experience and welcome you to a wonderful volunteer team.

Next Month: Watch for a message from the new Chair, JFS Board of Directors Miriam Fleming.

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For regular, ongoing meetings with clients, sometimes it is easy to take the meeting for granted or lose track of the visit’s purpose. It’s very likely that at some point the classes, appointments or visits can feel routine after time. Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever walked into the community room, the apartment or the restaurant and felt a little unprepared for the time with the client(s)? Are you ready and poised to be there? Needless to say, the experts in this area are the staff and volunteers at JFS, so I asked care managers, case managers, clinicians and volunteers what they do to prepare for their regular appointments, visits, classes, meetings and activities. When you find yourself in this situation, perhaps one of these suggestions can help to prepare you for your volunteer time.

• I think about what happened the last time I saw the client. I think about what their mood was and their goals, and then I try to pick up on any

unfinished business from the last appointment.

• I get there early. Call it meditation, quiet contemplation or prayer; I take some time to put out a positive expectation. This helps me to be more attentive, positive and patient. I try not to be rushed getting there because

that comes off in my energy. Instead of being frazzled, I know I can be present for the client.

• Most importantly, I make sure I have the right time and the right day and know the activity. One doesn’t always have one's ducks in a row! After that, it's pure pleasure. I get more enthused as the time gets closer, and try to think of ways to tweak whatever it is we are doing.

• I take time to go over all of my documentation and I call the client to arrange the appointment. The visit is important and this way, I know who I am going to see and what I will do.

• I go in with an open mind. I also make sure I drink water and eat something before I go, because I never know how long I might be there.

• I brush up on the case to see if there is anything the client needs from us. I do a little mental preparation. I know my client and what to expect. I usually have a few questions I ask each time. I make sure my appearance is ok and I make sure I have time to give them. After-ward, I get myself a cup of coffee

and think about the time together.

• I know that older adults want the socialization, so I make sure I have enough time to be with them.

• With just the regular “How are you?”, the clients seem to open up. I start with simple questions like “How was the weekend?” or “Is there anything good on TV?” and the conversation just seems to flow.

• Before I volunteer, I ask God to

help me stay open and loving and to make everyone I work with feel valued and to leave happier than before I saw them.

Volunteers and staff are indeed the experts here at JFS on being poised and ready for a visit, a class or a group! Thanks for all of the suggestions and perspectives.

Do you have stories about how you prepared for one thing and it turned out differently? Or a lesson that a client taught you? Send your story in and we can offer more of your expertise in the next newsletter.

- JFS Staff and Volunteers

How Do You Prepare for a Visit, a Class or a Group?

“I know that older adults want the socialization, so I make sure I

have enough time to be with them.”

Things to Do, Places to Go!

Did you know that the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin is the oldest woman’s club in America? Did you know that the Mackie Building was once the world’s largest grain exchange?

Milwaukee is filled with many exquisite historical sites that your clients or students may have lived near, frequented or heard about during their growing up or recent years. On a beautiful winter’s day, take your client(s) on a drive to see some of the best that Milwaukee has to offer or take a friend and take pictures to show your client(s) and ask them about their memory of this building or style of architecture.

Some fine examples include:Pabst Theater (1895),144 E. Wells Street, German BaroqueSt. Paul’s Episcopal (1890), 904 E. Knapp Street, Richardsonian RomanesqueMackie Building (1879), 225 E. Michigan Street, VictorianMitchell Building (1876), 207 E. Michigan Street, French Second EmpireMilwaukee City Hall (1895), 200 E. Wells Street, Flemish RenaissanceExton Apartments Building (1938), 1260 N. Prospect Avenue, Art DecoNorth Point Water Tower (1873), East North Avenue , Victorian GothicSt. John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral (1847-1892), 809 N. Jackson Street, Germanic Classical

For more historic Milwaukee buildings, visit the National Register of Historic Places,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Register_of_Historic_Places_listings_in_Milwaukee,_Wisconsin for 170 very interesting and elegant Milwaukee gems.

2013 Forms Arriving Soon!

Look for a mailing in just a few weeks. The Annual Volunteer Survey (re-designed by JFS volunteer, Rebecca Silber – Thank You, Rebecca!) will be sent out along with the 2013 Contact, Emergency Contact and Driving Update Sheet. For those of you keeping track of your mileage, the mileage confirmation letters will be sent around the same time.

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Chris Reed-Waddell proposed to his wife, Yuliya, on July 5th, 2011, in Doctor’s Park, the day after she had arrived from Kazakhstan. The couple was wed this summer in Kazakhstan, on August 4th (his mom & dad’s anniversary), but not without some difficulties. Originally scheduled for July, the wedding had to be delayed because of Chris’ work as a grant writer with the Social Devel-opment Commission (SDC). Having already requested his visa for the month of July, he had to quickly request that the original visa be cancelled and rescheduled for a later date, which is no easy task in international affairs. Surprisingly, the Vice Counsul of the Kazakhstan Consulate in New York called Chris to cancel the original visa and then without the normal procedures involved, approved the visa changes without any hesita-tion. Yuliya, still living in Kazakhstan, now awaits the completion of her immigration papers and is likely to move to Milwaukee. You might ask “How did they meet?” and the answer is “One thing clearly led to another.”

Born in Milwaukee, Chris attended Pius XI High School. He was an Eagle Scout, a Milwaukee County lifeguard and a Star Trek fan. He studied at Ripon College, graduating with a degree in Communication and Philosophy. Through his

college years, he made four trips to New Orleans to help with the impact of Hurricane Katrina, participating through a number of community-based organizations.

This volunteering led to an interest in serving more communities, so after college Chris joined the Peace Corps, and was assigned to Kazakhstan. Training in Almaty, Kazakhstan for three months, he was sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer. Chris then spent two years teaching English as a Second Language to 4th through 11th graders in Makinsk, a town of 18,500. He worked with local teachers to teach English as a Foreign Language classes and wrote grants to improve the school system and set up a school computer lab. The computer lab project led to the city’s first public wire-less hotspot which then became the regional resource center for the surrounding region.

After two years in Makinsk, Chris stayed on with Peace Corps to become a Volunteer Leader in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, designing projects and writing grants to train new volunteers. During that year, Chris was invited to a Halloween party organized by a 4th year educational student at the Kostanay Teachers’ Institute. Her name was Yuliya and this is how they met!

You might also ask “How did Chris find JFS?” and the story continues.

Chris came back to Milwaukee in 2010 and began his job at SDC, writing grants for older adult programs, entrepreneurship, refugee services and the Head Start program. After settling in with his new job, Chris began looking for community involvement opportu-nities (no surprise!) that would focus on immigrant communities and the Russian language. He learned of JFS and Chris now volunteers at Golda Meir House once or twice a month, leading computer classes for both Russian-speaking and English-speaking residents. Chris’ early volunteer experiences in New

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Chris Reed-WaddellWho is a JFS Volunteer?

Who is a JFS Volunteer, continued pg 4

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participate in?I am on the board of the Milwaukee Peace Corps Association as the Treasurer and Membership Coordinator. I also serve as an Urban Immersion Guide at my church, bringing in groups from rural and suburban areas in the state to see and help out in the city.

6. Who have been your major influences in volunteering?My mom started me off in the volunteer world by connecting me with the Zablocki Library. Everything I saw and did while helping with the effects of Hurricane Katrina also steered me in the volunteering direction and then led me to my participation in the Peace Corps.

7. Where were you when you decided to change the world?I am not about changing the world; rather I appreciate the opportunity to score a victory for people and our communities every now and then.

8. What is the last movie that you saw?Lincoln

9. What place would you like to visit and why?I would like to travel to Russia. Although I lived in Kazakhstan for three years, I never had an opportunity to visit Russia. Kazakhstan is one of the largest countries in the world and I was able to travel throughout the country, even visiting border towns, but I did not cross into Russia.

10. What is your favorite local restaurant?Stonefly Brewery

11. What is your favorite word?Initiative

Orleans, led to the Peace Corps, led to Kazakhstan, led to grant writing, led to Yuliya, led to more grant writing and finally to JFS! Yes, one thing can lead to another and Chris’ path has led to many lucky people!

1. Why do you volunteer with JFS?I volunteer with JFS because of the community that it serves; older adults who are Russian speakers and older adults that speak English. I continue to volunteer as it expands my horizons and allows me to keep up my language skills.

2. What is your favorite part of your JFS volunteer job?I enjoy the times when someone makes a little breakthrough in their computer use, when they communicate with someone online that they haven’t been in contact with for years and when they learn something new.

3. What is the JFS moment that you are most proud of?One of my favorite accomplishments was helping one of Golda Meir’s Russian clients set up an email account and Facebook profile. This was challenging as it required using Facebook in Russian so she could understand everything. She did get the hang of it and is using it to communicate with her family and friends at home and abroad. I can only imagine her grandchildren’s surprise when babushka (grandma) started writing on their Facebook wall and her surprise and delight when she saw pictures of the grandchildren’s spring break!

4. What was your very first volunteer job?I started volunteering in 5th or 6th grade at the Clement Zablocki Library, helping out with general library duties.

5. What other volunteer work do you

Charitable Mileage

Did you know that you can keep track of your mileage while engaging in JFS volunteer service and report this as a deductible for your income taxes? If you would like to begin recording your mileage for 2013, be sure to include that figure with your quarterly volunteer hours report. In early February of 2014, a letter will be sent confirming your total JFS charitable miles for 2013. This can be used to support your income tax information. The 2013 optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible cost of operat-ing an automobile for charitable purposes is 14 cents per mile. If you would like to start this process, please remem-ber to report your miles along with your volunteer hours every quarter.

Remember www.jfsmilw.org as your volunteer “Go To” Site

We have added many volunteer-related items to our JFS website (www.jfsmilw.org) for your convenience.

To access these additions, visit the website and you can find the following:

On the Home page: 1. Click the blue Publications tab to see this year’s Direct to You volunteer newsletters

On the Volunteer page: 2. See the sidebar and click on: • Newsletters to read this year’s Direct to You volunteer newsletters. • Volunteer Resources to find past JFS staff articles on specific topics that may be useful to you in your work. • For Current Volunteers to print your own Quarterly Volunteer Activity Report form either for the quarter that we just finished or for the quarter we are just beginning (you can use last quarter’s form to report and mail-in your hours and/or use the next quarter form to record your hours for the upcoming quarter). **Remember to send in other ideas you may have to make our volunteer page more helpful in your work.

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What’s New?

2012 was a banner holiday season at Jewish Family Services! Thank you to the community for making this holiday season brighter for so many JFS clients. Read on to see all of the ways that JFS was graced by the community’s goodwill this past holiday season.

Beginning with Thanksgiving, two families made full Thanksgiving dinners for Habush House residents and a 10-person family. A few families with young children made adorable Thanksgiving cards and Chanukah cards as a family project to be given to JFS clients. Once again, JFS was able to participate in the Holiday Giving Tree program, coordinated by the Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee. The program provides a holiday gift to people in need who would otherwise not receive a Chanukah or Christmas gift. As in past years, JFS registered to receive 150 gifts (the limit) for our neediest and most vulnerable clients. The gift requests are turned into gift tags that are distributed to the many participating businesses for employees to select and purchase one of the client’s three gift wishes ($15-$25 range).

This year, Symmetry Corporation, Northwestern Mutual Life, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. and Badger Meter, Inc. were the companies that received the

JFS gift tags and answered client’s wishes. We appreciate all of these companies and their em-ployees who made the holidays more hopeful for 150 JFS clients.

We want to also thank Congregation Shalom for their cleaning supply items collection drive and Tikkun Ha-Ir for their personal grooming items collection drive that will assist many clients in their monthly budgets. In addition, Congrega-tion Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun ran a food collec-tion drive for a group of JFS Russian immigrants who are in need of assistance, especially food.

The Villard Square GrandfamilyApartments also received some holiday cheer with books donated by Sam’s Hope, and Christmas gifts donated by the Youth Humanitarian Project of the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center and the Volunteer Center of Ozaukee County.

Thank you to all of these businesses, congrega-tions, organizations, programs, families and individuals that stepped forward to make the 2012 holiday season so memorable for JFS and our clients.

Students participating in the Religious and Hebrew schools at Congregation Shalom donated to the

Wish Room at Jewish Family Services.

Rabbi Shari Shamah, JCC, gathers Youth Humantarian Project gifts

Freddi and Dan from Villard Square GrandFamily sorting through Sam’s Hope books.

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First Online Newsletter — How’d we do?

SusieStay Warm This Winter!!

The hours you serve are important to JFS clients and to JFS. Please make sure your volunteer time is counted as one of the many ways that JFS serves the community. Please

return your volunteer hours to me in one of the following ways:

• If you received this by regular mail, mail the enclosed form• If you received this by email, access the form on the volunteer page

(For Current Volunteers) of our website (www.jfsmilw.org)• Call me with your volunteer hours for this quarter at 414-225-1390

• E-mail me with your volunteer hours for this quarter at sgruenberg@jfsmilw.org.

Please reply by January 25, 2013.

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Your Quarterly Volunteer Activity Report

Our last newsletter marked the very first online Direct to You newsletter. Be honest! Did you read it? Did you like it? Does the old paper version transfer to a good online version? Please be sure to let us know if you have suggestions for the layout, the length, the read-ability, the access, or anything that you think could improve our new venture into online status. You can call me (414-225-1390) or send an email (sgruenberg@jfsmilw.org).