…JFS Russian Language Information & Assistance Specialist Irina Vorona
8:15 a.m. My first appointment is with a long-term elderly Russian client. I visit her home to check-in and see what’s new. I translate a few pieces of mail that she’s recently received, and we call her doctor to make sure they have everything for her appointment next week. She’s been having issues with her health insurance. Since I’m a Russian-speaking Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisor, I’m able to communicate with her provider and relay the information back to her. I also have an Alliance of Information and Referral Services (AIRS) certificate which helps me direct clients to different services they might need.
10:30 a.m. Our Bellevue office hosts citizenship and ESL classes, so I often have walk-in clients during these times. One client stops by today, and we talk at length about the Child Survivor Fund. We set up a meeting next week to start the lengthy process which involves writing a personal story and completing other detailed paperwork.
11:45 a.m. The next person I work with needs help filling out housing forms and running some miscellaneous errands. I pick him up, and our first stop is the local thrift store. We then get his prescription from the pharmacy, and our final stop is the Russian grocery store. We make the drive back to Bellevue, and I round out this visit by helping him carry his goods into his apartment.
2:30 p.m. It’s an Eastside Food Bank day so I head to the drop-off location to help translate for clients and provide outreach. I field a few questions and make notes to follow up with people in regards to social security and DSHS benefits.
3:30 p.m. Next is a client visit to the dentist for a crown as part of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity (AO) program for Holocaust survivors. Dentists donate their time and resources to those who can’t otherwise afford dental care. As stressful (and as sometimes painful) as the dentist can be, my client is extremely grateful that she’s able to get the care she needs.
4:55pm My last appointment of the day is to another longtime client. It’s her 80th birthday, and I swing by to wish her a wonderful day and bring her a special treat.
By Leslie Sugiura
Savvy cook, extreme clam digger, urban gardener and mom to Stella the dog are just a few of the titles Leslie Sugiura keeps in rotation. She’s also the Director of Special Events for JFS where she spearheads the annual Community of Caring Luncheon.
