By Madison Warfel, Marketing & Communications Specialist at Jewish Family Services of Delaware
Jewish Family Services of Delaware’s (JFS) Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program works with at-risk or in crisis families to identify support systems and develop action plans to help them reach their goals with confidence. PSSF can help reduce family stress and crisis, increase networks of support, connect families to services and resources, improve child and adult relationships, and much more.
Amber
Amber is a PSSF client in a multi-generational household: a grandfather, daughter, and grandchild who all live with a family friend. For years the family has experienced a lack of medical care, employment, and financial security, compounded by the fact that members of the household have a prior or current criminal history. These barriers, along with the condition of the house, which makes it difficult to find and maintain proper paperwork, led to Amber spending most of her time trying to keep everything afloat to avoid eviction, repossessed cars, or jail time.
Moreover, the family friend was placed on hospice recently, but important documents and Power of Attorney were still in his wife’s name, who passed away several years ago. Amber realized the need for a notary to begin transferring certain things over to herself—so that the friend could continue to live in his home and obtain proper medical care—as well as formulate a plan for the other household members when the friend passed on. There is also a nine-year-old child living in the home, who has experienced a great deal of trauma, as well as moving from place to place. His mother is working hard to stabilize the household so that the child has a safe and peaceful home to live in.
A PSSF Family Consultant assessed their situation and contacted a mobile notary signing agent, who agreed to assist the family. Although the costs for a mobile notary are not high, the family is without a steady income and could not afford the notary services. Since this was a very important step in achieving their goals, JFS covered the cost of the notary through the PSSF crisis fund.
If this was a straightforward case, the notary would have witnessed the signing of the paperwork and gone on her way. However, there were years and even decades of paperwork to sort through, some of it incomplete. On several occasions Amber had been given wrong advice, which led to documents that could not be verified or notarized.
The mobile notary spent two unhurried hours with Amber, her father, and the family friend. She carefully looked over each document and explained the processes to the family, while patiently answering their questions. She was extremely kind and compassionate about their unique situation and the crises they were encountering. The main concern was that the elderly friend would be able to pass away in his own home, and the notary was able to show him paperwork that gave him legal protection to remain in his home.
The elderly family friend was so grateful to finally get some answers to the state of his property and assets that he had not been able to obtain since his wife passed away. Amber thanked JFS staff members with tears in her eyes and was so grateful to finally get some clarity on a very overwhelming situation. It was the first time in possibly years that she was able to get assistance from an agency and not just be brushed off.
Kirk
Kirk was in danger of losing his home and had just found out that his son had passed away. He was going through a very difficult time and needed some support. He reached out to a few different organizations and was directed to contact JFS Delaware. JFS Delaware’s PSSF program got to work, providing assistance for Kirk and his family.
“I explained to them what was going on and they were more than happy to help me and my family out,” said Kirk. “I’m totally grateful for them. If it wasn’t for them, my family and I would be out on the streets.”
“JFS will relieve all your stress,” Kirk continued. “You know if they step on-board, they will get the job done.”
To learn more about PSSF and the services provided, visit jfsdelaware.org/case-management/ or call 302-478-9411.
