We have identified five areas of financial needs:

• UNEMPLOYMENT

Without the anticipated salary and benefits, financial distress often follows a loss of employment. Clients who have not received a severance package and/or have no savings to draw on need financial assistance almost immediately. Those clients with an adequate cushion can often benefit from budgeting advice so that they can remain financially independent longer. When these funds are depleted, though, we must be available to help.

• Financial Mis-management

Due to unemployment, financial hardship, or simply as a result of poor financial management, many families desperately need financial advice and budgeting guidance.

• Significant Shortfalls

Due to employment down-sizing, an applicant’s earning power may have recently diminished.  Though previous employment compensation may have been sufficient to carry the mortgage, tuition and household bills, the current job is not (or not as yet) at the same level.  In these cases, there is a monthly short-fall between earnings and obligations.

• Catastrophic Needs

Unforeseen, unexpected and unprepared for tragedies do occur.  Project EZRAH® has and will be available to immediately step in with financial assistance as well as help with finding housing and clothing.  We are here with open heart, large shoulders, advice and chizuk and immediately set in motion the re-building of the lives touched.

• Broken Families

Our focus is on the spouse within our sphere. We must augment the diminished income so that the children and spouse are well cared for. Oftentimes the candidate is a mother who must re-enter the work-force; our employment department will work with her to find a new vocation, up-date old skills and create a new resume. Our ultimate goal is to give this spouse and the children a stable and financially fit home.

HOW WE HELP WITH FINANCIAL NEEDS

Depending on the specific need and situation, various interventions may include:

• Budget planning and management
• Limited financial assistance
• Scrip for food
• Interaction with attorneys, often on a pro-bono basis to determine whether consolidation of debt or bankruptcy is necessary
• Advocacy with school scholarship committees
  

IF YOU NEED HELP WITH FINANCIAL ASISTANCE

Applications are accepted from neighbors living in Teaneck, Englewood, Bergenfield, New Milford and Fair Lawn; potential clients are asked to contact Freeda@EZRAH.org or Miriam@EZRAH.org after obtaining the following information:

• One year’s history of bank statements and cancelled checks
• One year’s history of credit card statements
• Depending on the specifics, other information may be required for the financial analysis