Federation Empowers: Charles E. Smith Life Communities

To the many residents of the Hebrew Home at Charles E. Smith Life Communities, Paul is a volunteer who brings a smile, a joke and warmth to every room he visits. But Paul is no ordinary volunteer. His daily visits to the Hebrew Home signify an incredible accomplishment for this special young man, who is one of many volunteers who participate in a program that accommodates volunteers with special needs.

In 2008, Paul joined the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes MOST™ program. This one-year program helps successfully transition young adults with special needs into adulthood by helping them develop, improve and maintain the life skills necessary for them to successfully integrate into the adult community.

Throughout his participation in MOST™, Paul volunteered one day a week at the Hebrew Home, something he came to cherish and truly enjoy. As a dependable, joyful volunteer, Paul’s responsibilities continued to grow over time. Today, Paul volunteers five days a week and he loves every minute of it. He takes residents on walks, gets them to their appointments in the building and does all he can to bring joy into their lives.

This summer, Paul celebrated his five-year anniversary as a volunteer at the Hebrew Home, something he is quite proud of. Thanks to The Jewish Federation’s support of the MOST™ program, Paul and many other young adults with special needs are able to move into adulthood with confidence, independence and the critical life skills that enable them to participate in society meaningfully.