COVID-19 Updates at JFS

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Due to COVID-19, we have ceased operations out of our physical locations (with exception of our drive-thru food distribution) and the building will remain closed until we evaluate that it is safe to reopen. This decision was made considering the safety of our staff, clients and volunteers, and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the City of Dallas.Please make note of the service delivery changes and view our online resources below:

Updated 7/27/2020

Thank you for your interest in donating items to JFS Dallas. We are still not accepting food and Resale Shop donations on site at our Arapaho Location, in order to continue to minimize person to person contact at our offices. We will send out a public notice when we have the capacity and staff available to receive them. Thank you! If you would like to support our programs and services, please consider making an online donation here. We are continuing to provide drive thru food distribution on Thursdays from 9am-12pm, virtual support groups, individual one-on-one coaching and counseling, and more.

Dallas County Housing & Utilities Assistance information can be found here. We are processing more than 3,000 applications at this time and our team will contact the applicants in the order they were received. Thank you for your patience.

Download and share the Spanish/English Drive-thru Food Distribution FlyerFor more questions email info@jfsdallas.org or call 972 437-9950.

Updated 7/5/2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic is fluid, The Dallas City Council is sharing the following information regarding tenant rights:

Tenants may not be legally evicted without following the steps required by state law, which includes going through a court proceeding. Although eviction court proceedings have resumed as of June 15 in Dallas County, the City of Dallas is still under a disaster declaration. City of Dallas residents have additional protections provided in the City of Dallas COVID-19 Eviction ordinance if their delinquency is related to COVID-19. These protections include requiring landlords to present a Notice to Vacate to the tenant before pursuing an eviction. Currently, the City of Dallas COVID-19 Eviction Ordinance is in effect through July 11. More information is available here. 

 If you believe you are facing unlawful eviction, please contact the City of Dallas Office of Fair Housing and Human Rights, 214-670-FAIR (3247).  

Additionally, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has provided informational resources forRenters facing eviction and Homeowners facing foreclosure due to COVID-19.

We also invite you to share the attached social media graphics with your clients and on your communication channels.

Updated 5/6/2020

Dallas County Housing & Utilities Assistance information can be found here.

Download and share the Spanish/English Drive-thru Food Distribution Flyer

SHEF Emergency Assistance Fund for Restaurant Workers

Updated  4/28/2020

Food Pantry:

Our food pantry will be starting a drive through food pick up Friday, May 1st from 9 am to 2pm in our parking lot at 5402 Arapaho Road in Dallas. The distribution will be first come, first served and while supplies last or until 2pm. We ask that you do not come to get in line before 8:30am.You must come in a vehicle and remain in that vehicle unless otherwise instructed. Please follow the signs and traffic patterns we have laid out. We will place a pre-packaged box of food in your trunk, and ask that you ensure your trunk is cleared before arriving at JFS. If your trunk does not open automatically, please follow instructions by our staff and volunteers to get your food put away.After this week, our distributions will remain one time per week but on Thursdays. We will be handing out pre-packaged food boxes from our partner, the North Texas Food Bank.The drive thru distribution will be run by staff only at this time. We appreciate your support and desire to volunteer. Due to our very limited space in the pantry and in support of social distancing guidelines, we want to minimize the number of people working in the pantry. As we begin the process of more fully reopening the pantry, we will send out notifications to our volunteers as to how they can help.

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Nuestra despensa comenzará asistir clientes con comida en sus vehículos este viernes, 1 de Mayo de 9 am a 2pm en nuestro estacionamiento en 5402 Arapaho Road en Dallas. La distribución será por orden de llegada y mientras duren las provisiones o hasta las 2p. m. Le pedimos que no venga a hacer cola antes de las 8:30 am.

Usted debe venir en un vehículo y permanecer en ese vehículo a menos que se indique lo contrario. Por favor, siga las señales y patrones de tráfico que hemos establecido. Colocaremos una caja de provisiones en su cajuela, y le pediremos que se asegure de que su cajuela esté despejado antes de llegar a JFS. Si su cajuela no se abre automáticamente, por favor siga las instrucciones de nuestro personal y voluntarios para guradar sus provisiones en su vehículo. Gracias y nos vemos el viernes.

Career and Financial Services:

The CFS Coaches want to remind you that we are continuing to assist and support furloughed, unemployed and underemployed people in our Greater Dallas community.

Our experienced CFS Coaches provide the tools, knowledge and guidance people need to help them reach their career and financial goals. CFS Coaches can assist you with:

· Gaining job search focus and productivity to know which companies are hiring during the coronavirus downtrend.

· Establishing realistic target wages for now, with knowledge this will/could improve in the future.

· Developing resumes, cover letters, elevator speeches, and social media profiles with greater relevancy to employers.

· Understanding loan payment and credit options for your “new now”.

· Improving interviewing skills for Zoom, video, phone interviews and behavioral interview questions.

Our CFS Team of Coaches are ready to assist you by phone or video conferencing. When our agency building operations resume, sessions will be conducted on-site.

Call 972-437-9950, extension 340 today to learn more about how Career and Financial Services Coaches can assist you.

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Direct Client Services

  • Intake: For individuals needing resources, support, or information, we ask that you leave a message on our intake line, 972-437-9950 x340, and a JFS Staff member will return your call.  Calls made after 4pm will be returned the next day.
  • Food Pantry: We will not be distributing food while our building is closed. However, Network of Community Ministries will serve all JFS Food Pantry clients during our closure, regardless of zip code. If you are in need of food assistance please call (972) 234-8880 to make an appointment and identify yourself as a JFS Food Pantry client. They operate by appointment only. No walk-ins.
  • Kosher Home Delivered Meals: Meal distribution is modified for deliveries in partnership with the JCC. More information will be sent to those we serve.
  • Career and Financial Services: Coaches have reached out to their individual clients and are continuing services virtually. Scroll down to review some CFS job search powerpoint webinars for COVID19.
  • Older Adult Services: Clinicians have reached out to their individual clients and are continuing services utilizing telephone visits.
  • Clinical Services: Clinicians have reached out to their individual clients and are continuing services utilizing telephone visits.
  • Services to our Schools: Our school-based services will follow recommendations for continued remote services and are maintaining regular communication with the schools.
  • PLAN Clubhouse: The PLAN @ 1121 Rock Clubhouse remains closed. PLAN will conduct a daily conference call for members at 1:15pm everyday for a community check in.
  • Resale Shop: The Resale Shop remains closed. We have also suspended donation acceptance at all locations.

Volunteer Activities

  • Regular Volunteers: Unless otherwise notified, all volunteer activities have been cancelled until further notice. These activities will commence when the JFS facilities re-open.
  • Passover Packages: Unfortunately, because these packages are delivered to the homes of those identified as “high risk“, we have cancelled packing and delivery of these packages, currently scheduled for April 2 and April 5. This decision was not made lightly as we know how important Seder items are to our community over Passover.
  • New Volunteers: We are not on boarding new volunteers at this time. If you’d like to volunteer with JFS in the future, please create an account on our volunteer site at JFSDallas.VolunteerHub.com and we will contact you when we’ve reinstated our on boarding process.

How you can help JFS Dallas

  • We are not currently accepting any physical donations of food or items for our Resale Shop. However, if you would like to support our continued work, your financial contribution is greatly appreciated and will help support our staff and modified operations during this time. You can donate online at www.jfsdallas.org/donate.
  • Support us by participating in our Someone to Lean on Social Media Campaign. You can change your temporary profile picture, upload graphics on Facebook, and spreading the word about services available to the general community.

Groups and Events

In addition to the changes we have made to our client facing services, we have made the decision to cancel all agency meetings and events through the month of April. Further updates will be available based on Dallas County guidelines.As always, for the most up to date information about COVID-19, we refer you to the CDC’s website.

Career and Financial Services Webinars

Networking can Improve Efficiency of your Job Search
The World Has Paused, But You Don’t Have To Part 1
The World Has Paused, But You Don’t Have To Part 2
Financial Preparedness during this Pandemic

General Resources

Online Resources For Parents

Online Resources For Caregivers

Resources for Individuals with Disabilities
(Provided by JFGD’s Jewish Community Relations Council)

  • Download From Coverage to Care COVID-19 Resources to learn how to protect yourself during COVID-19, including information about health services typically covered under Medicare and Marketplace plans, as well as tips for getting the care you need at home.
  • Download and share Getting the Care You Need: A Guide for People with Disabilities to help people with disabilities understand their rights around accessing medical services. The guide includes a checklist to help you get the care you need before, during, and after your appointment. It is also available in Spanish, with more languages coming soon. To request a physical copy in Braille, please contact CMS at healthequityTA@cms.hhs.gov.
  • Visit the Medicare.gov “I have a disability” page to find and share information about Medicare plans, benefits, and protections for people with disabilities

Disability-competent care (DCC) is an aspirational, participant-centered model that focuses on the eventual goal of supporting individuals to achieve maximum function. The DCC model is delivered by an interdisciplinary team (IDT) whom recognizes and treats each individual as a unique person, not their diagnosis or condition. The model encourages participant direction in choices regarding their health, wellness, and life in the community.

For more information, visit the Resources for Integrated Care website.

Spanish Support Resources


Open Food Pantries

  • Network of Community Ministries – Food Pantry – Richardson – Serving Garland, Dallas, Richardson – Food Pick-Up ONLY
    • JFS Clients are able to access FP services by telling them they are a JFS Client regardless of zip code
    • M-Th – Friday til 12n
    • 972-234-8880
    • 7415 Sherman St, Richardson
  • City Square – formerly Central Dallas Ministries – it is a shelter and their Food Pantry remains open – First come first serve
    • 9am- 1pm T-F
    • 214-823-8710
  • Catholic Charities Dallas Marillac Center –  Food Pantry – Services for seniors ONLY
    • 9am-3pm Tues or Thurs
    • 866-223-7500 or 214-826-8335
    • 2843 Lapsley Street, Dallas
  • Brother Bills Helping Hand – West Dallas Residents – Food Pantry – Called a Grocery Store – Drive Through
    • 10am – 1pm Wed and Thurs
    • 214-638-2196
    • 3906 Westmoreland Rd, Dallas
  • Minnie’s Food Pantry –  Also providing food – breakfast and lunch – to all PISD students
    • 7am – 12pm Wed-Sat
    • Plano – 972-596-0253
    • 661 18th Street, Plano
  • North Texas Food Bank has shifted the Mobile Pantry program from usual operations to a pandemic emergency response. As a result, all of our regularly scheduled sites are postponed until further notice. Please check the NTFB website to find a drive-through distribution near you.

Dallas County

From City of Dallas

Click here for the latest (8/25/20) information on rental assistance through City of Dallas.

Mental Health Resources

  • The Texas Department of Health and Human Services has extensive resources available for mental health support, including those facing a mental health crisis.
  • The Metrocare Coronavirus Support Line is available during our normal business hours Monday through Friday for those Dallas County residents experiencing high anxiety or depression during these turbulent times. Metrocare’s professionals will assist individuals in accessing our mental health services and provide referrals for other services that may be needed. The Metrocare Coronavirus Support Line for Dallas County is 214-743-1215.

Domestic Violence Survivor Resources

Unemployment and Workers’ Comp

  • Anyone who has lost their job due to coronavirus or has had to take time off to self-quarantine or care for a sick relative (and does not get paid sick time from work) may apply for UNEMPLOYMENT insurance. Info on that here.
  • Anyone whose job has brought them into direct contact with someone with coronavirus (for instance, a first responder or a health care worker) and has become ill or are required to quarantine can file for WORKERS’ COMP. File for that here.
  • If you or a friend or family member are out of work, Texas’ Employment Security Department provides support services as well.

Financial Assistance

  • The IRS has deferred the federal tax filing deadline to July 15th. Find more information on Coronavirus tax relief here.
  • The U.S. Department of Treasury has a list of financial resources for consumers.
  • Residents can call 211 and give their zip code for a list of local financial and in-kind resources available in their area.
  • Texans who believe they have encountered price gouging or disaster scams should call the Office of the Attorney General’s toll-free complaint line at (800) 621-0508 or file a complaint online. For additional information on disaster scams, please visit our disaster scams website.

Unemployment and Workers’ Comp

  • Anyone who has lost their job due to coronavirus or has had to take time off to self-quarantine or care for a sick relative (and does not get paid sick time from work) may apply for UNEMPLOYMENT insurance. Info on that here.
  • Anyone whose job has brought them into direct contact with someone with coronavirus (for instance, a first responder or a health care worker) and has become ill or are required to quarantine can file for WORKERS’ COMP. File for that here.
  • If you or a friend or family member are out of work, Texas’ Employment Security Department provides support services as well.

Food Assistance and Donation

  • Here is also a list of open food pantries inclusive of hours.
  • North Texas Food Bank has shifted to box distribution model with partner agencies. Food4Kids and School Pantry programs remain fully functional, and they are partnering with the City to deliver snack/hydration kits to the homeless.
  • Dallas County Health and Human Services Older Adult Services Program is currently providing meals delivered to homebound seniors. There is a drive-thru for hot meal pick-up service set up at each senior center location. Seniors needing these resources can call 214-819-1860 to enroll.
  • Meals will be provided to all children at most district middle and high schools and will be distributed twice a week, on Monday and Thursday between 10 AM and 1 PM. On Monday you will receive Breakfast, Lunch, and Supper for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Thursday will have Breakfast, Lunch, and Supper for the rest of the week, including Saturday. For pick up locations and menus, visit this link.

Paid Sick Leave information: City of Dallas employers must provide employees with paid sick leave to care for themselves or a family member. An employee may use paid sick leave for the employee’s or their family member’s illness, injury, healthcare, and reasons related to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. For more information or to file a complaint, call 214-670-FAIR (3246) or visit www.dallascityhall.com/paid-sick-leave.

National

Crisis Text Line
Text TWLOHA to 741-741
A trained crisis counselor receives the text and responds quickly.

National Hopeline Network
1-800-784-2433

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1 (800) 273-8255

Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)
1-800-656-4673
24-hour Chat: online.rainn.org

Treatment Referral Hotline
(Substance Abuse)
1-800-662-4357

Quick Links to Health Organizations

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

DISCLAIMER: Our website and the materials on this website are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal or medical advice. The information, articles and documents on this website are offered only for general informational and educational purposes. They are not offered as and do not constitute legal or medical advice or legal or medical opinions. This website contains many pages of hyperlinks to other resources. Such links are provided as citations and aids, and are not intended to be referrals or endorsements by Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas (JFS). JFS assumes no responsibility for and expressly disclaims all liability for errors or omissions in, and use or interpretation by others of, any information contained on this page.

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