Amanda Packman

Amanda Packman, 23, knows from personal experience that Jewish Federation helps the very young to the very old. The Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community Day School teacher credits our St. Louis Jewish Federation. This is an organization that sustains a Jewish community rich in resources for all. When her late grandfather was ill, she saw the difficulties her mother encountered trying to take care of him by herself. She needed a nurse’s aid. Someone suggested contacting Federation’s ElderLink, our community’s free information and referral service for seniors, their children and their caregivers. ElderLink gave her the names of some home health care services and professionals. It was an invaluable resource, said Amanda, who ticks off the list of other wonderful and high-quality Jewish community services for seniors: Covenant/CHAI, low-income senior housing; JCC Adult Day Care, the meal programs, housekeeping services and the NORC program that keeps seniors healthy and living independently. Every day, she said, it’s becoming harder and more expensive for seniors who are living longer. Federation is a safety net for them in their declining years.