MARCH 2013
THE BRIDGEWATER-SOMERVILLE CONNECTION
PAGE 71
Haymaker & Haymaker
Psychological Services, LLC
AD/HD, Anxiety, Depression,
Eating Disorders,
Marriage and Family,
Underachievement
Problems in Relationships
Providing care for adults, families, children
and adolescents for over 20 years.
Stephanie Haymaker, Ph.D.
NJ Lic Psychologist, SI 2794
Douglas Haymaker, Ph.D.
NJ Lic Psychologist, SI 2793
For More Information, Please Call or
See our Websites:
www.DrStephanieHaymaker.com
NJ Psychologist Lic 2794
www.DrDougHaymaker.com
NJ Psychologist Lic 2793
245
Route 22, Suite 305, Bridgewater, NJ
908-429-9300
Mentors and AmeriCorps
Members Needed
Providing Support for Life’s Challenges
JFS is looking for male and female volunteers to visit
families with children under 10 or frail elderly persons
to provide socialization and cognitive stimulation. Our
program allows choices in assignment. JFS is also look-
ing for summer AmeriCorps Members to “shadow”
campers with disabilities at a local day camp. We offer
an orientation, training and ongoing support.
For more information visit our website at
www.jewishfamilysvc.org
or call
908-725-7799
Next Orientation and Training March 2013
Joanne is a 47-year old recently
divorced mother of an 8-year old boy.
Her son was struggling with his par-
ents’ divorce. Similarly, Joanne was
also struggling to manage her time
while raising her son, working full-
time, and adjusting to being
divorced. Her clergy referred her to
Jewish Family Service (JFS) where
Joanne met with a social worker in
the Family Mentor Program. After
the meeting, it was determined that
Joanne and her son would be good
candidates to be matched with a car-
ing volunteer.
Ellen was looking for ways to give
back to the community. She had heard
about JFS and the Family Mentor
Program where volunteers make a
year-long commitment to make regu-
larly scheduled visits with families in
need of support. Ellen was at a point
in her life where she had the time,
enough life experience working and
raising her own family, and the desire
to make a meaningful contribution to
her community. The social work team
at JFS also saw in Ellen compassion
and the ability to listen - two qualities
that are essential for making the right
match between a mentor and a family.
Ellen and Joanne were introduced to
each other by a Family Mentor Pro-
gram social worker. After meeting,
the two women agreed to meet one
afternoon a week at Joanne’s home.
Initially, Joanne was reluctant to
engage with Ellen alone, but allowed
her son to do homework and play
games with Ellen. After several visits,
Joanne started opening up and talk-
ing with Ellen on her own without
her son. She found they shared simi-
lar experiences as women that balance
work, family, and life simultaneously.
Although Ellen hadn’t experienced
divorce herself, she was sensitive to
Joanne’s feelings and showed under-
standing. Ellen allowed Joanne to
talk about feeling overwhelmed and
the emotional impact the divorce and
the lack of family support were hav-
ing on her and her son. Ellen’s listen-
ing proved to be very helpful and
Joanne began to feel someone cared
about her and her son. The weekly
visits became a haven for Joanne
from the stressors of the rest of the
week. Several months later, they still
continue to meet and spend time
together sharing their feelings and
experiences with one another.
Volunteers like Ellen are the quiet
heroes of our community. The Fami-
ly Mentor Program offers volunteers
like Ellen the opportunity to truly
make a difference to a family chal-
lenged by certain circumstances such
as divorce, having a child with a dis-
ability or struggling to make ends
meet. New volunteers are always wel-
come. The next Family Mentor Pro-
gram training is scheduled for March.
If you would like to know more
about the JFS Family Mentor Pro-
gram, please visit our website
www.JewishFamilySvc.Org or con-
tact Sudha Narasimhan, LSW at 908-
725-7799,
x118 or by e-mail at
sudhan@JewishFamilySvc.Org.
JFS Family Mentors – Quiet Heroes
By: Sudha Narasimhan, LSW, Family Mentor Social Worker
www.theconnectionsnj.com
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