The woman pushed her grocery cart around the food pantry, picking out canned goods, paper towels and packaged cookies.
“I come here as needed,” said Joanne, who asked that only her first name be used.
She was in the pantry at Jewish Family Service in Denver, where everything from food to home health care and unemployment counseling are available.
“I love this place,” Joanne said.
“I love their spirit and how they listen,” she said of the staff.
Joanne comes by bus or car, when she can get a ride. She is the single mother of five children and is helping to raise four grandchildren.
She planned to come by the day before Thanksgiving for the traditional Thanksgiving staples that will be given out.
Joanne is one of the more than 23,000 people helped each year by the agency, which is near Tamarac Shopping Center in southeast Denver.
Jewish Family Service is, surprisingly, more than 135 years old, and its programs stretch well beyond Denver.
Formerly known as Jewish Family and Children’s Service, the agency is one of many that has applied for the annual Season to Share funding.
The agency’s $9 million annual budget comes from federal grants, foundations, grocery stores, Food Bank of the Rockies, individual donors and some fees for such services as counseling.
Its more than 500 volunteers include those from various religious groups, including Mormons, who do food drives and bring in home- canned food. It has 180 employees.
Chad Livermore is up and busy by 3 a.m., picking up grocery-store contributions and hauling the food back to the food pantry. Donors drop off toys, clothes, food and toiletries.
But the agency’s work goes far beyond the pantry.
Its myriad programs offer help to refugees, training for the disabled and job placement. The organization also offers a seniors program, case management for the disabled and seniors, holiday programs, mental- health counseling and housing for the homeless.
There are volunteers who help people with housekeeping and laundry and others who make sure clients have the meds they need and understand when to take them.
Jewish Family Service provides in-home care for people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and chronic illnesses, as well as operating a group home for adults with developmental disabilities. It has satellite centers around the metro area, including in Boulder.
Sometimes people start lining up by 7 a.m. at the Tamarac location on the days the pantry is open, said Alaina Green, associate director of marketing and communications.
The center’s clientele includes immigrants from 50 countries, “including Burma and Iraq,” said Lindsey Gutterman, marketing and communications director.
No questions are asked about religion.
“We base what we do on Jewish values,” Gutterman said, “but we help anyone.”
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
Jewish Family Service
3201 S. Tamarac Drive, Denver
In operation since: 1872
Number served last year: 23,000
Staff: 180;
Volunteers: 500-600
Yearly budget: $9 million
Percentage of funds to clients: 82
