CJFS Executive Director, Lauren Perlman
I often hear people say “I love my job” and for me it couldn’t be truer. I began my career here in 1992 as a clinical social worker and now, as Executive Director of CJFS, I have come full circle. I am blessed to be a part of an organization that every single day makes someone else’s life just a bit better. While I no longer am on the front lines doing direct service, I have the privilege of facilitating all of the elements that make that happen.

At CJFS there are vital pieces that make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. One piece is the client, the person brave enough and strong enough to reach out for help and to make a change. One piece is the staff working with the client to secure resources, provide support and sustain human dignity through that change. One piece is the funder, the donor, foundation, or grantor that provides the financial resources. And finally there is the volunteer who by giving of themselves, their time and talent, enables the staff to extend its mission even further. Together, these pieces create community and make a difference that alone would be possible, but not probable.

I have seen this difference in the older woman, alone in this world, who has worked with CJFS to move from her home to subsidized housing that provides her greater access to her medical care, more financial stability, and a more regular social connection. Through that process, CJFS was the family she didn’t have, securing affordable housing, finding volunteers to pack and move, and providing counseling to help her cope with the challenges that come with transition.

I have seen this difference in a woman struggling with depression and anxiety while trying to raise her children and grieve over her failed marriage. At CJFS she found an empathetic ear and emotional support to get her through the roughest times, sort out her choices for the future, and take steps toward moving her life forward.

And I have seen the difference in the man who, at 67 years old, uses the Buz-A-Bus to get to work each day to provide for his family. That extra income makes ends meet for him and his ill wife. And that ride keeps him independent and proud.

There are moments in life when you realize that some things are just meant to be. Sometimes those moments come quietly, softly, sneaking into your consciousness and sometimes they hit you like a ton of bricks. Becoming Executive Director of CJFS, for me, was one of those things, a perfect fit for me. This strikes me every day sometimes quietly and sometimes head on, but each time with a power that refuels my belief in Tikkun Olam, the duty we have to repair the world.