JCC launches COVID-19 Connect to Recovery program

​On Wednesday, May 20th, the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island, in partnership with UJA-Federation of New York, announced the launch of COVID-19 Connect to Recovery. The program will allow Staten Islanders to access social services to help them recover from the effects of the crisis.
 
COVID-19 Connect to Recovery was created in response to the current and growing needs of the Staten Island community precipitated by the coronavirus crisis. All participants in the program will have an initial comprehensive intake and assessment to see what services they are eligible to receive.
 
Orit Lender, Deputy Executive Director and Incoming CEO of the JCC explains, “We know that so many people on Staten Island have been hurt by this crisis. We created COVID-19 Connect to Recovery to provide a one-stop shop experience for people in need. Through our intake process, we can identify people’s needs and refer them to services that they may not know they qualify for. During these difficult times, we want to ease the burden for as many families as we can by making it as simple as possible to access these crucial resources.”
 
Services provided by the program include access to the JCC’s Kosher Food Pantry, health insurance navigation, financial and legal counseling, and ESL and HSE classes. Participants will be screened and enrolled for benefits and entitlements, including SNAP benefits, utility assistance programs, and other services. Individuals in crisis will also be referred to partner organizations for short term loans, cash assistance, and other social services.
 
Mental health services include support groups for people of all ages, remote weekly meditation and mindfulness classes, and additional therapies such as art, music, theater, and dance. There will also be special support provided for essential workers.
Seniors will be able to receive grab-and-go meals and referrals for clinical counseling treatment through Weill Cornell. Specific services for Holocaust survivors, including providing Kosher food, will also be available.
 
The JCC’s COVID-19 Connect to Recovery will be helmed by Neshama Marcus, LMSW, Chief Program Director of Community Based Programs, and Amelia Winter, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, Director of Senior Centers. The JCC has a great deal experience in recovery services for the Staten Island community. Following Hurricane Sandy, the JCC sprang into action, launching a similar service to help people displaced by the storm.
 
JCC CEO David Sorkin noted, “After Sandy, the JCC was here for Staten Islanders, helping long after the storm surge had subsided. We plan to do the same during and following this current crisis. We hope to provide a lifeline to those struggling and help get Staten Islanders back on their feet.”
 
The program is supported by UJA-Federation of New York, the Robin Hood Foundation, Verizon, Con Edison, National Grid Foundation, Mannix Shop Rite Stores, United Way, Food Bank NYC, Met Council, the Brooklyn Home for Aged Men, the Mother Cabrini Foundation, Borough President James Oddo, and DYCD. COVID-19 Connect to Recovery programs will take place in conjunction with Met Council, NYLAG, Hebrew Free Loan Society, Project Hospitality, and Weill Cornell.
 
For more information on COVID-19 Connect to Recovery services, click here or contact Carolyn Magliolo at COVID19@sijcc.com or 718.475.5264.