I needed help getting social security. Family of Woodstock dragged me for 3 years, not filing paperwork. I finally cut ties with family of Woodstock and secured an attorney on my own and now everything is moving smoothly, except for the fact a family of Woodstock tenent punched my wife in the face. I called family of Woodstock numerous times prior to the incident about harassment by their tenent. They did absolutely nothing.
I have no experience with this organization...yet.
I am in need. Turning 60 March 1 . I am employed thankfully. But earn barely enough to pay for vehicle , housing , and food.
I am diabetic , and have severe osteo arthritis in right hip and knee.
I have been without insulin except for 30 days in Sep / Oct since about July of 2018
Insulin I take costs about $20 a day...Health insurance too is beyond my income level.
There is a gap in available Medicaid v Health ins affordability. I earn too much for government assist but not enough to buy ins. So much for the affordable care act !
I am a disabled mother, with a deadbeat father who is behind on support. I got a case manager who kept forgetting who I was and had to be reminded constantly of who I was and what my issues were. I asked him for several kinds of help, including back rent, and he never called me back. I had to call him constantly and then tell him all over again who I was. I got his supervisor who gave me a bunch of phone numbers of people and organizations who actually can't or won't help me. This place is a horror show don't bother. They don't help you they just make you call people who don't end up helping. They're a bunch of people sucking funding from people and the government to give out phone numbers.
Family of woodstock is most definitely a family. I began volunteering a few years ago, started in the training, not really knowing what to expect. That training in its self was a challenge, and I learned a lot. I will never forget what I learned during that time. How to connect with people in every situation, from domestic violence, hard day at work, illness, family difficulties, relationships, and even suicide. Yes any problem you may be facing, big or small Family can help you, The volunteers including myself at Family and when you call, are all experienced in all situations.
I started my first shift and I knew somewhat what to expect, the phone rings and my heart races, I'm nervous but I knew how to approach this, the staff who runs the training had taught me well. Chronic callers, first time callers, callers from out of state, that didn't matter, what mattered was that I would answer the phone and lend a listening ear.
I have always felt that everyone needs someone to just listen to them, and if along the way I was able to help the person find a new path to take, a new road to travel down that was better than the one they have been on, even better.
I have learned how to connect with those who walk in to Family always giving them a warm welcome, a smile is sure to brighten anyones day.
I am always surprised by the amount of people who are so thankful that I am volunteering my time, the time I could be hanging out with friends, enjoying a night at home watching a movie, or truthfully sleeping after a long day.
I mean it when I say there is nothing more satisfying than helping others, no matter the circumstances in my own personal life at the moment. When my shift day comes along I go to Woodstock, with a smile, ready to listen and help anyone, with any problem they may be encountering at that time.
Everyone has a hard day, no denying that, when in doubt call Family, that is why I am a volunteer at Family Of Woodstock, not because I needed volunteer hours, even if that is why I started, but because I care about the people in this world, if I didn't care about volunteering here, think about it would I still be here?
I want everyone to wake up everyday happy and ready to face the challenges that come their way.
If you need someone to help you with lifes challenges, lets face it life isn't easy, Family is there, we will treat you like our family, you are welcome to treat us as yours.
Working on the Family 24/7 hotline in the 70's taught me the most valuable lesson one can learn-NEVER be judgmental-just do what you can to help! I have worked with many agencies over the years and have had the chance to be a crisis team leader with Family again in 1999. I have never met more caring people than the ones associated with Family.
As an employee of Family of Woodstock, Inc. for the past 4 years I have been privileged to work with perhaps the most wonderful organization in Ulster County. The employees of the entire organization work tirelessly to provide individuals and families from birth to seniors with services that can help better their living and job situations. They are not simply content with providing any service out there, they are intent upon making sure that the services provided fit the client and that the individual and/or family finds the services to be satisfactory.
Family House, the adolescent shelter is a particularly good example of how the employees of Family truly are like family members. The staff, from program director down to support staff each impart a role to incoming residents that speaks to a cohesive, caring family structure. While they are not officially family to the residents that come into the program, they are often more than temporary fixtures in the minds of residents. The provision of a place to sleep, clothes to wear on their back, and warm food in their bellies is only a beginning for the staff of Family House. Many of them have shared laughter, tears, joy, and sorrow with their hundreds of residents and in many cases, have helped mend broken hearts along with emotional and mental scars. Its a privilege to work with the staff and every resident can recount at least one aspect of the program to be thankful for during their stay there. They truly are a family away from home.