The American Red Cross graciously donated a retro-fitted sprinter van to Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties (JFS) as part of a partnership to build more resilient communities. The custom-designed van will provide JFS with a mobile outreach office to access saturated urban areas, like Atlantic City, as well as some rural areas. The sprinter van features Wi-Fi compatibility, two office style areas for staff to conduct intakes, cushioned leather seats, wooden storage cabinets, and more.
“We are grateful the American Red Cross selected our agency to receive this custom van,” said Ann Thoresen, JFS Chief Operating Officer. “Knowing the work our staff performs throughout the county, this JFS mobile access center allows us to have a more prominent presence at community events and health fairs as well as the ability to access harder to reach locations on the outskirts of our area.”
This partnership is part of the national Red Cross Community Adaptation Program, which is providing enhanced support in select communities across the country that are at high risk for extreme weather and face socio-economic challenges. The program focuses on enhancing local nonprofits specializing in health, hunger, and housing to strengthen their programs before a disaster and to serve families hit hard by the new increasing state of climate disasters.
“We are thrilled with this partnership which provides Jewish Family Service with the specialized van, enabling them to reach and serve more people in the community now and during times of disasters,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “Especially as the climate crisis worsens, access to health and mental health care is so important, and together, we can make a greater difference in the lives of those we jointly serve.
For more information on JFS programs and services, visit jfsatlantic.org. For more information about American Red Cross services, visit redcross.org.
