Meaningful and Satisfying

Usually, a mentor team through the Family and Senior Homeless Initiative consists of four to eight individuals. Temple Sinai's team is a remarkable exception—the entire faith congregation is helping mentor a homeless family into self-sufficiency! A maximum of four team mentors from Temple Sinai meet with the needy family, and a larger committee then supports that team by securing support and mobilizing resources for the needy family. Other congregation members give money, time and knowledge to the cause. Mentor Susan Crager says of her synagogue's widespread involvement, "The synagogue decided to do it when the mayor's office had all the faith-based leaders come to a luncheon, with about four hundred in attendance. Our junior rabbi went, and his enthusiasm was such that it inspired us, too. For many of us, we liked that the rabbi asked every single child at religious school to donate. We got to our $1,200 so quickly (for the mentee's security deposit and first month's rent). There was a real sense of everyone participating."

The Temple Sinai mentor team has tried hard to help the family feel comfortable, especially in the initial meetings. Susan says, "We brought pizza to the meeting and met in the park." Susan made them feel comfortable when discussing finances by telling them things like, "We are not the police. We are not social services." We just wanted to make sure we could talk frankly and try to help her, and not come across as condescending.

The team also went to the Temple Sinai congregation to collect basic items for their mentee mom and her six kids. Susan says, "Our congregation tried to come up with all her critical needs – a dinette, a bedroom set, a dresser, various things, as well as individuals dropping off food supplies. Different members made pilgrimages to her house with a truck to bring furniture on numerous occasions."

Susan has been really impressed with her mentee mom and her six kids, ages four to eighteen. "She's a very sharp lady. She is doing very well in a lot of ways. We were quite impressed with her. One of her daughters was invited to participate in a prestigious program in Washington D.C."

Recently, a mentor who works as a tax attorney was able to provide the mentee mom with some important tax advice. The attorney answerd her questions, and with the new information, the mentee mom was able to save some money. "She was so grateful, she hugged this attorney!" Susan laughs. "It was like it was Christmas in August. It felt very nice to have given her something that really made a difference financially."

In the future, Susan hopes to be able to help her mentee mom in the area of college funding. "I would like ... to talk to her about college and do paperwork to get her kids funded for college. That's a couple sessions away. These seem to be kids who are participatory in school and may be able to thrive. I have four children of my own—I know how the system works. I think I know enough to help her through the system. Filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is overwhelming."

Of the mentor relationship in general, Susan says, "I think that for any of us who have a job, who have a home, whether we're at a religious institution or not, many of us believe 'how can we not do this?' As a mentor, I actually get to meet the children, the family, visit them in their home. It's very meaningful and satisfying."

Temple Sinai has done a fantastic job of collaboratively involving different congregation members on a variety of levels, while still keeping the mentor relationship personable, effective and comfortable. Temple Sinai, the Family and Senior Homeless Initiative thanks you for giving your time, money, knowledge, and friendship to help a hardworking homeless family!

By the Numbers