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Volunteers are a vital part of Jewish Family & Children's Service. Men and women of all ages and backgrounds generously give their time, energy and experience to help isolated seniors, new parents, recently arrived immigrants, people with disabilities and others in need. Volunteers also provide professional assistance with various administrative projects at the agency's office in Waltham.

To find a satisfying and rewarding volunteer experience, or for additional information, please call our volunteer coordinator at 781-647-JFCS (5327) or email your questions via our contact us page.

Some of our volunteer programs include:

Volunteer responsibilities, training and orientation, time commitments and locations vary by program and function. Please read the descriptions below to find out more about the variety of ways you can help.

 

First Friends

  • First Friend volunteers help recent arrivals to the U.S. make the difficult adjustment to life in a new culture.
  • Visiting an individual or a family one to two hours a week can make a big difference in helping immigrants improve their language skills and acquire knowledge of their new community.
  • Volunteers are needed for waiting families who have resettled in communities throughout Greater Boston.
  • No foreign language skills required, but a three or six-month commitment is requested.

 

Friendly Visitors

  • Friendly Visitors make a world of difference for isolated senior adults living in their own homes or in a long-term care facility.
  • In just one hour a week, volunteers bring company and cheer to seniors by listening to their stories, taking a walk, sharing a meal or helping with errands.
  • All volunteers receive ongoing support from the agency.

 

Visiting Moms

  • Visiting Moms share their time, experience and understanding with new mothers to instill confidence and competence in their new parenting roles.
  • After completing a four-session training, volunteers visit one or two hours weekly with pregnant women and parents of newborns who need support and companionship.
  • Ongoing group supervision is provided.
  • Volunteers have made Visiting Moms an award-winning program that has been used as a model throughout the United States and abroad.

 

Bet Tzedek (Referrals for legal services)

  • Bet Tzedek volunteer attorneys provide free legal services to low-income populations.
  • This community-based program is invaluable to people with unmet civil legal needs.
  • Attorneys are needed to help clients on our waiting list of Jewish families and others who are without legal assistance due to their inability to pay attorney's fees.
  • JF&CS is seeking volunteers with interest in, and /or experience with the following types of cases: housing, consumer law, government benefits, individual rights, probate and family law including divorce, domestic violence and immigration.
  • Bet Tzedek attorneys can commit to as few as one case per year.

 

Community Health Access Program (CHAP)

  • CHAP provides information and referral services for those who need medical care or health insurance and helps individuals find sources of free care in hospitals and neighborhood health centers.
  • CHAP also offers a referral network of private dentists, optometrists and chiropractors who have volunteered to provide free medical services.
  • The program needs dentists who are willing to provide free dental services for one individual or family per year.
  • We have a waiting list of people who need dental care, are not covered by insurance and do not have the resources to pay due to family crises.

 

Family Table

  • Family Table is Greater Boston's Jewish food pantry serving almost 400 families.
  • Once a month, volunteers of all ages sort, pack and deliver two weeks worth of food, special holiday foods, personal hygiene items and paper goods to families in need.
  • Volunteer Collection Site Managers solicit and collect monthly food donations and coordinate the delivery of food to Family Table.

 

Schechter Holocaust Services

  • In partnership with Generations After, a group comprised of children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors and friends, JF&CS recruits volunteers to make holiday visits to Holocaust survivors in need of companionship. Other volunteer services can also be provided.
  • We are looking to you to help us continue this important service that provides older survivors with a link to the outside world, a friendly face, and the opportunity to build a caring relationship with someone new.
  • We visit people who live in the Brookline/Brighton area, as well as Metrowest and the South Shore.
  • By volunteering a few times during the year, you can bring warmth and companionship to a survivor who feels isolated.

 

Long-term Care Ombudsmen

  • Long-term Care Ombudsmen spend at least two hours weekly visiting and advocating for residents at nursing homes in Belmont, Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley and Weston.
  • Ombudsmen help residents protect their rights, resolve problems using state and federal guidelines and ensure dignity in their lives.

 

Chaverim Shel Shalom (A program for adults with mental illness)

  • Chaverim Shel Shalom volunteers help with group social, cultural and spiritual activities for Jewish adults with psychiatric conditions.
  • Volunteers join members at monthly programs, invite participants of the program to their synagogue for holiday celebrations and services, and provide transportation for those without a car or nearby public transportation.
  • Volunteers may also help with administrative duties.

To find a satisfying and rewarding volunteer experience, or for additional information, please call our volunteer coordinator at 781-647-JFCS (5327) or email your questions via our contact us page.
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