THEINSIDER
LIFE-SUSTAINING GENERATOR
Story submitted by Samantha Thomson
It’s not an uncommon worry: sitting at home during a winter storm, wondering if the power might go out. For most of us, the occasion is disconcerting, but usually not a matter of life or death. For some of our Care Coordination clients, however, a power outage would be catastrophic.
Medical equipment including breathing support, mobility aids, and other items requires working electricity to function, Without power, clients’ lives are at risk. One client in particular has conditions that bring this concern to the fore.
Recently, through collaboration with the Family Support Services team, Care Coordinator Abdullah Bitar was able to obtain a backup power generator for a medically fragile client. This ensured that in the event of a power outage, the client's life sustaining equipment would continue to function. Now, concerns about potential power outages have been mitigated for this client and their loved ones, removing this stressor for them Big shoutout to Abdullah and the team who helped make this happen!
GET TO KNOW YOUR EAP
Get to Know Your EAP
Monday, March 23 9:00am - 9:20am
Do you have general questions about your benefits? Join us for a live Q&A. We will be on zoom for 20 minutes. We will provide an overview of your benefits and we will be available to answer any general questions you may have.
This is open to all EAP and MAP members and will not be recorded. Click here to register!
HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?
By Edie Falk
We want to hear about the amazing work you’re doing every day! Click the icon below to share your story.
MENSCH OF THE MONTH
KvellingCorkboard! Kvelling Corkboard!
To kvel is Yiddish slang for the feeling of pride/joy you get when someone else has a nice moment. This is a space for us to kvel over our friends’ accomplishments and personal updates!
In partnership with Buffalo Immigrant Leadership Team, Bijoux, Hannah, and I attended the Women United Breakfast hosted by United Way of Buffalo and Erie County at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum in celebration of International Women's Day It was a meaningful morning of conversation, connection, and reflection alongside many inspiring women from across our community. #womensupportingwomen
OPERATIONS UPDATES
By Patty Hoyt
1. Submitting Requests for Tech Supplies and Non‑Standard Office Supplies
When an employee needs technology accessories or office supplies that are not routinely stocked, they must first notify their supervisor Supervisors are responsible for submitting these requests directly to the Operations/Facilities team via: facilities@jfswny org
This process ensures accountability, appropriate approvals, and accurate tracking of supply needs across departments.
2. Discontinuation of Worxhub
Worxhub is no longer used for any Operations or Facilities needs. This includes: Interior and exterior office repairs, Office furniture repair, Van repair requests, Requests for janitorial supplies All such requests must now be emailed to: facilities@jfswny.org
3. All Operations & Facilities Requests Must Go Through the Facilities Email
To streamline workflow and ensure requests are handled fairly, all Operations/Facilities inquiries must be submitted through:facilities@jfswny.org
Requests will be handled in the order they are received.
4. Laptop Issues Must Be Submitted to MVP
Employees experiencing laptop problems must submit a ticket to MVP. The Operations team will not issue a replacement laptop unless MVP determines the device must be taken in for repair. This ensures proper troubleshooting and prevents unnecessary equipment replacements.
5. Encourage Your Team to Use a Password Manager
We strongly encourage all staff to begin using a password manager for work accounts. Password managers play a vital role in security because they:
Generate strong, unique passwords for every account
Prevent unsafe password reuse
Lower the risk of phishing or credential based cyberattacks
Safely store and auto fill passwords across devices
Reduce lockouts and password reset requests
5
A password manager is one of the simplest ways to protect both personal and agency data. Browser managers are not secure.
OPERATIONS UPDATES COTD
6. Breakroom Cleanliness: A Shared Responsibility
Our breakroom is a shared community space, and maintaining cleanliness is essential for everyone’s comfort and health. Each staff member is responsible for cleaning up after themselves, including:
Washing dishes or placing them in the dishwasher immediately after use
Wiping out the microwave after spills
Disposing of trash properly
Never dumping coffee grounds or tea leaves in the sink
Removing expired or unused items from the refrigerator
Leaving messes behind creates unnecessary work for others and quickly leads to unsanitary conditions. A few extra moments of care keep the space welcoming for everyone.
7. Proper Use of Eden Workplace for Room & Desk Reservations
Please ensure that Eden Workplace is used properly when reserving rooms or desks.
Important Guidelines:
Eden does not support recurring reservations. Recurring Outlook meetings will not appear in Eden and can result in double bookings. Users must create individual reservations for each date directly in Eden.
If your plans change, cancel your reservation in Eden.This ensures others have access to available spaces.
Notification settings can be customized through the Eden web dashboard under: Settings → Notifications
Staff can choose to receive alerts via Teams, email, or mobile push.
Users can always view or confirm reservations on the Eden desktop dashboard.
It is not the responsibility of the Operations team to reserve spaces or confirm reservation status.
We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and attention to these important reminders. 6
USEFUL LINKS & FORMS
By Edie Falk
Business Card Request Form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?
id=Pmigb49z5kG1tr3ic8L0vDOO5Qe7LltLkBPMhOYgC71UOUhJQ05ORDg5Vjd UUDdGQVhKOVJXRFY3Qi4u
Insider Submission Form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?
id=Pmigb49z5kG1tr3ic8L0vDOO5Qe7LltLkBPMhOYgC71UMTkxNUxRTDcyRkc xSUxISjk1UTAxN0wyMy4u
Mensch of the Month Nomination: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?
id=Pmigb49z5kG1tr3ic8L0vDOO5Qe7LltLkBPMhOYgC71UOFdNRTNNV0lBT1J YNVRYS0dCUE5NQlRZUS4u
Program Referral Forms: T:\JFS Program Referral Forms
Submit to our Story Library: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?
id=Pmigb49z5kG1tr3ic8L0vDOO5Qe7LltLkBPMhOYgC71UQ0RBU0pTUFdZOU NJRThKOFpaUUgxMElSVi4u
If you have any operations or facilities needs, email facilities@jfswny,org.
Danielle Bonovitch, 03/23
Dee Howeell, 03/09
Deanna Hughes, 03/30
Anna Incorvaia, 03/17
Stephanie James, 03/12
David Jankowiak, 03/21
Brett Jarczyk, 03/28
Ni Min, 03/07
Sydney Suchyna, 03/27
Jenn Wiedl, 03/02
Contributors
Maryam Masoud
Samantha Thomson
Carolyn Drumsta
Edie Falk