Jonah is a twelve-year old Orthodox Jewish boy living in Chicago. When his parents noticed that he was struggling at his private Jewish Day school both academically and socially, they turned to JCFS Chicago for help in March 2020.

The pandemic has impacted all of our lives, and for some people this has meant unemployment and an unexpected financial hardship. With support from JUF, our Financial Assistance Counseling program has been able to provide emergency funds to those that need it.

As a social worker during a pandemic, I am going through the same experience as my clients, at the same time.  I have been wrestling with how I can help my clients and clinicians when I am struggling.

Are you or someone you know unable to make your next rent payment, worried about how to pay your next utility bill or unsure where your next meal is coming from? We have emergency funds available and are here to help. Our Financial Assistance and Counseling program is prepared to ensure quick access to emergency financial support.

I have been so inspired by the immense amount of creativity that has popped up around the world during this pandemic. We have had first row access to people’s homes and minds across the world. As long as we are connected to WIFI, there is little that separates us.

It’s hard to believe six weeks have passed since the official Stay at Home Order was issued. In some ways it seems longer, but we have been tasked with having to figure out how to adapt to this new reality. For those of you who are somewhere on the divorce continuum, the uncertainty that was intrinsic to divorce in the world before COVID-19, combined with our current obstacles, can be hard to handle.

Right now families are sheltering at home, spending unprecedented amounts of time together. Fewer calls reporting child abuse have been received since the outbreak, but that does not mean there’s a decrease in abuse. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has created the conditions for a rise in child abuse that may go unchecked. 

You might be embroiled in a destructive relationship, contemplating the release of divorce, or you could be well along your way in the progression of events. Divorce in our normal world can be extraordinarily traumatic. When you add the anxiety brought on by our current chain of events, for some people it may be arduous. We are all navigating the pitfalls for our very first time, perhaps we can learn from one another.

COVID-19 and our activities to flatten the curve have impacted individuals in addiction recovery and their loved ones. Stressors have increased caused by COVID-19 and the pause to in-person recovery supports. Many have come to rely on online recovery resources, which have proliferated to fill the gaps in needed support. We've compiled a selection of links to addiction recovery resources. 

March celebrates National Professional Social Work Month and is an opportunity to spotlight the incredible work of the 700,000 social workers across the country. Here's what some of our social workers had to say about their jobs.