My family and I would like to thank you so much for the financial help and the support that we've got and still get from you!! When we needed help the most, we got it from JFSC. We are so thankful for that! There are no words to describe how thankful we are!!! 

-V.


I visited my new apartment yesterday to move some things in and as I stood looking out my balcony and felt like I was home for the first time in a very very long time....

I thought...this is success. A tremendous success that took a lot of hard work and vision on my part. And a lot of dedication and compassion on the part of the beautiful people at Jewish Family Service Calgary. From the front desk to the board room. For every moment of dignity I was given back from what felt like the ashes of my life.

On behalf of every other client that has felt the peace of that and the human love of ...the cups of tea at the desk, the friendly hello and the tremendous team effort. I thought of it in my new little home that is mine. Of the many hands that lifted me to this success.

-Anonymous


Shalom Bayit Project - One Woman's Story

Marnie (not the clients real name, some identifying information has been changed to protect the client's identity) appeared to have a charmed life: 2 lovely children, a big house, nice cars, vacations, and a successful husband whom she had been married to for 15 years. Then one night the truth came out. Marnie's husband tried to kill her. He may have succeeded if Marnie's eldest child had not called the police. The police took Marnie's husband into custody, child welfare took her children into custody, and she herself was taken to the hospital.

Read More about Marnie's Story

Marnie spent 2 months in the hospital recovering from both her physical and emotional traumas. Upon her release she sought to regain custody of her children but Child Welfare refused to release them. They believed she was not yet emotionally fit and that her ongoing contact with the children's father put herself and her children at risk. That decision pushed Marnie into a deep depression. Child Welfare recommended that Marnie enroll in a program that would help her deal with her issues and make the changes necessary for getting her children back.

Marnie called Jewish Family Serivce Calgary, who referred her to a program specifically for women experiencing domestic violence. Through the support of the domestic violence agency, JFSC, Rabbi Howard Voss Altman and Rabbi Jordan Offseyer, Marnie was able to get her children back and receive support from the Jewish community. Today, she is living independently with her children and has a job and her own house. Marnie wakes up every morning feeling safe and calm in the knowledge that she and her children are able to live a violence free life.