17 HOT Emergency Assistance Programs in Boca Raton and Delray Beach Many individuals and families have trouble paying for their most basic needs. The Financial Assistance Coordinator at Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Service (JFS) comes to HOT with their most dire situations. We discuss the case history and only make a grant if we are satisfied (i) as to the legitimacy and reasonableness of the request and (ii) that all other sources of funding have been exhausted. HOT has provided funds so that JFS can buy hearing-aids to improve quality of life; pay for dental work necessary to prevent daily pain; to pay an electric bill that needs immediate payment before the lights go out and has funded rent, mortgage payments, utility bills, child- care, medications, car repairs, clothing, school supplies and has helped the young, the elderly, the infirmed, and those with debilitating diseases. Jen and Hank never imagined that they would be faced with a financial crisis. With three young children, they were living a modest and happy life until Hank was diagnosed with cancer. He was no longer able to work, savings quickly dried up, and disability payments had not come in yet. The family was unable to pay $1,600 of rent. HOT matched JFS’s $800 and this family was not evicted. Joseph and Emily live with their 5 children. Joseph had just started his own tech support business and was earning just enough money to get by each month. Emily stayed home to take care of the children. When the hurricane hit in September 2017, Joseph’s business came to a complete halt. At first, Joseph thought that it would only be a day or two before things got back to normal. It turned into weeks. They had to use what little savings they had to pay for food and utility bills. The HOT/JFS grants paid their rent and kept their family safe and healthy. Last year HOT made grants of $16,425 to JFS that have been matched by JFS from other sources, permitting $32,850 of emergency grants that has been used to fund specific cases. HOT’s share of what was needed to meet the emergencies of families and individuals in need has been as little as $347 and as much as $2,500. There are more people with emergency needs than there is money to help them. We need to have sufficient funding for our half of all the emergency needs that people come to JFS seeking. We would like to see our donors designate up to $30,000 for this fund. Your gift will fund one-time emergency needs that you would fund in a second, if you only knew about them. HOT and JFS will be your eyes and your ears, and your designated gift to HOT will be matched by JFS and will be life altering.