Regina is a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor who has lost two husbands and two sons. Her third son Arnold, a grown man with several minor disabilities, lives with her and they take care of each other.
Regina and Arnold frequently attend holiday celebrations and movie nights at the Barry and Florence Friedberg Jewish Community Center. The Services to Adults and Senior Adults program, supported by United Way’s Long Island Impact Fund, allows Regina the opportunity to meet regularly with a social worker, and when Arnold is unable to drive her to the Center, a bus is sent to pick her up so that she doesn’t have to miss a week of meetings. It is clear that simply sitting in a room with her friends and getting a brief break from the difficulties she faces on a day-to-day basis means the world to Regina. This program brings joy into her life after the immense challenges she has faced.
The Barry and Florence Friedberg Jewish Community Center is just one of the more than 100 agencies supported by United Way’s Long Island Impact Fund. Not only are we helping seniors like Regina, but we are making a difference in the lives of veterans, young children, those with disabilities, and families. For every additional child that succeeds in school, every family that becomes financially stable, every person who is healthy – we are creating a stronger Long Island.