Eema Care, a new charity for the Greater Manchester Jewish community, offers support to single mothers.
Brand new charity project, Eema Care, has been set up to offer support to single mothers across the Greater Manchester Jewish community. The charity is already giving aid to 150 families and is receiving requests to expand its services into Leeds as well.
After offering support to single mothers on an ad-hoc basis, Rochel Jaffe, with the support of her husband Rabbi Dovid Jaffe, wanted to set up a service specifically for these women and their families. Lisa Jacobs, having recently experienced the breakdown of her own marriage, and facing the challenge for being a single mother, raising two young girls alone, was herself accessing their support. Between them Eema Care was born – the first Jewish charity of its kind in the UK. Seeing how many women were feeling overwhelmed, struggling emotionally, financially, or practically, they want to ensure that no woman should ever feel she has nowhere to turn once she is separated, divorced, or widowed.
Director Lisa Jacobs explains the services Eema is providing: “We are empowering mothers to overcome life’s challenges, helping them to move forward with renewed confidence and independence. Our mothers benefit tremendously from the many services Eema Care has to offer: counselling, house and finance management, legal advice, peer support networks, volunteers to help with school runs and child-minding, shopping assistance, food packages, befriending and so much more. We arrange Shabbat and Yom Tov hospitality with families who are very happy to host them, which is something very meaningful to these single mums who often say they feel lonely and forgotten.”
In its first year, Eema Care has organised Shabbat lunches with inspirational speakers, Sukkot and Chanukah parties, after school clubs, a residential break in North Wales, and many children’s activities. These events give single mums opportunities to socialise and be with like-minded women, when they might not otherwise get the chance to do so.
A single mother of two teenagers from Whitefield, who was drowning in debt, turned to Eema Care as the stress was taking its toll, leaving her anxious and unable to cope. With the help of a debt management advisor, she got her finances back on track and managed to access additional funds available to her. She said: “Eema Care changed my life in just one meeting.”
After the first Shabbat lunch event at Stenecourt, attended by 60 mums and children, one member said: “I haven’t been invited out for a long time and it was lovely to enjoy a meal in great company”.
As a new organisation, Eema Care is a small team, who are indebted to an army of volunteers and trustees who help with anything from organising events, delivering birthday and Yom Tov gift bags, case management, and giving practical support wherever it is required.
To receive support or get involved with Eema Care, contact info@eemacare. uk or call 0161 710 3310.