Years ago, a boyfriend was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at nearly 18, and the last thing he was ready to do was acknowledge his diagnosis and need for treatment. While I wanted to be loving and supportive, I had little education on how to do this for someone with a mental illness. I felt alone…
LGBT Refugee Couple Risks All for Love
When you ask Fatimah* and Sanaz* how they first met, they give the expected response for millennials in love — online. But for these 30-year-old women, only their introduction hews to the expected. They started chatting eight years ago on an Arabic-language social media site called Dagged. Sanaz was living in Turkey with her parents….
I Never Imagined You
This is the story of Project DVORA client Charlotte Jarvis, in her own words, about escaping an abusive relationship. She attended weekly one-on-one sessions with a program advocate and participated in Project DVORA yoga and writing groups to support her in the healing process. I couldn’t hear anything. People said a lot of things. But…
A Bandage on the Seder Table?
Every Passover, family and friends gather to discuss the Jewish Exodus from Egypt long ago. We celebrate our freedom from the rule of an oppressive leader. It is also a time to remember not everyone in our community enjoys freedom and some are still enslaved in vulnerable situations, from homelessness to domestic violence. This year,…
Ignoring a Person in Need
Exiting our upscale neighborhood grocery store, I notice a spirited group of young women selling Girl Scout cookies by the front door. They are surrounded by people and engaging in conversation. Directly across the street, a homeless man stands alone, his head down, holding a sign: “Please help. My wife and I are VERY hungry.”…
Carol Mullin Retires After Years of Guiding Growth & Giving
Carol Mullin walked into a small closet that had been transformed into a pantry, began pulling food from shelves and filling a bag for a community member in need. That was nearly 29 years ago when Carol worked as one of two part-time staff members in Emergency Services at Jewish Family Service; and now, Carol…
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