Summer Camp Distracts Child as Ariel Job Center Helps Parents

Tom is happy and nervous. "I'm going to summer camp!" he says.

Gisela, his mother, smiles. "We just got the call from the Shalom Alechem School," she explains. "It's the first time he's going to camp. He doesn't really know what it is about, but he thinks it's fun." Tom will be attending is JDC-supported summer day camp in Argentina.

At 27 years old, Gisela, an art teacher, is unemployed. Her husband Diego, age 29, is also a teacher and lost his job a few months ago. "We went to the Ariel Employment and Micro-business Center and signed up to get help," says Gisela. "They were great, very much in focus. They helped us define a career profile and draft better resumes."

The family's income is now reduced to what Gisela and Diego make with their freelance teaching. "It's a few hours a week but that's all we have been able to get so far," explains Gisela.

The family enrolled in the JDC's food aid program through their JCC. "It's a life saver," she says. "It makes a big difference because we don't pay rent and our income is just about enough to pay our bills."

Tom cuts into the conversation: "You know when I start my camp?" he asks. "On Monday!"