Kathy, a Queens mom, needed a path forward after losing her job during the Covid crisis. She found employment support at the Jack and Shirley Silver Hub, an initiative of UJA that provides human services all under one roof so people can move from crisis to stability. The Silver Hub, located near one of the densest areas of Jewish poverty, provides employment counseling and job training through our partner Commonpoint Queens. People can also receive other services at the Silver Hub, including financial and legal counseling, access to interest-free loans, and food at the digital food pantry. In heartwarming news, nearly 700 people have found jobs since the Queens Hub opened its doors in October 2020.
Kathy shared her story with us (edited for clarity).
It’s funny how things work out. For me, a sign on a building literally became a sign of better things to come for me and my family during the Covid crisis.
When Covid started, I got furloughed from my job at LaGuardia Airport. My husband, who worked in a restaurant, lost his job. My kids’ schools closed. They got stressed. Covid took away their whole routine. We were getting by with my family helping when they could.
Over the months of the crisis, we walked past a bowling alley in our neighborhood that had a For Sale sign planted on it. Then one day the sign was gone and construction had started. Sometime later a new sign cropped up: Commonpoint Queens [later renamed the Jack and Shirley Silver Hub].
I went home and Googled it.
What I saw looked amazing, with lots of programs offered. Maybe they could help me find a job.
I called and met with an employment counselor, Ahuva, who’s the greatest. She helped with my resume. Did mock interviews. It was like a blessing.
Ahuva called me one morning at home. “I have an excellent opportunity. I want you to interview for a community ambassador position with Test and Trace,” she said.
It was on one of those mornings that I felt down. “Why would anyone want to hire me?” I asked.
Ahuva was not fazed. “Just do the interview and see what happens,” she said.
I did and three days later, yes, I got hired.
I started in December, working full time. I would go out in communities with the highest number of Covid cases and talk to people walking by, distributing masks and information on free resources available.
I’m grateful to have helped even one person to do the right thing during that difficult time. “Don’t give up hope,” I said. “We’re here for each other. We’re here to help each other.”
By the time June rolled around, I knew that as much as I enjoyed my job, it was temporary and I needed a more stable position. I began looking for something more permanent and applied for a full-time receptionist job at the Commonpoint Queens Sam Field Center.
I was so relieved when I got hired and found a friendly, welcoming environment — especially with the volunteers who come in every day, week after week. I could see they loved the work they did delivering meals or packing bags of groceries at the food pantry.
Yet as I worked as a receptionist, something tugged at my heart telling me answering phones wasn’t enough. I started asking other departments if they needed help. When they did, I worked on small projects in between taking calls.
Several months down the road, a volunteer coordinator position opened up at Commonpoint Queens. I applied. I’m happy to say in March I started in this new role.
I have a lot of respect for volunteers because the work would never get done without them. There are people in the community who can’t leave home, and these volunteers drive the food to them. They go all over Queens for people who rely on them for meals.
I hope I can build up the program. It’s a beautiful thing to see people working together to help the community.
The Silver Hub made a difference for me what seems like ages ago, and now I can make a difference for other people. It pays to read the signs.
Updated March 2022