Interfaith Neighbors

Neighbor Spotlight: Joann Fischer

Joann Fischer

Every Wednesday Joann Fischer sits at the first desk Interfaith Neighbors’ employees see on their way in, welcoming them with her familiar face. Usually, the individuals that employees get to know are their fellow full-time/part-time employees, working daily or a few times a week for an hourly wage or salary. However, Joann Fischer, is no ordinary familiar face in the office. She is an Interfaith Neighbors volunteer, and an extremely consistent and reliable one at that. Volunteers usually come and go and give their time on their own terms. But Joann has continued to volunteer with Interfaith Neighbors (almost) every Wednesday for the past 9 years.

Joann volunteers with our Rental and Mortgage Assistance Program, which assists individuals and families with rental and mortgage payments to allow them to remain in their homes during times of financial instability. Before volunteering with IFN, Joann worked in retail for 15 years, and then moved on to work for the Department of Public Works as a Facility Management Specialist.

Joann explained how she was introduced to IFN, stating “I actually had a neighbor who volunteered here, but I started after seeing an announcement in my church’s bulletin that the organization was looking for volunteers right after I had retired.” Her volunteer work consists of entering data of clients the Rental and Mortgage Program assists into a county database that goes by the acronym HMIS, which is required by Monmouth County under grant agreements. This data not only tracks Interfaith Neighbors’ performance on the grant funding received from the county, but it also helps the county understand the level of need in the community.
Judy Nelan, Interfaith Neighbors’ Senior Manager of Homeless Prevention through Rental and Mortgage Assistance, remarked, “Joann’s volunteer work helps us tremendously. With the increased volume of calls, our team has limited time to handle other mandatory tasks, like entering HMIS data. We’re so grateful Joann is a consistent, reliable volunteer that allows us to continue our work.”

Joann described how the program makes a difference, stating, “The assistance Interfaith Neighbors’ Program provides allows people to meet their needs such as groceries, utility bills, and other financial obligations while they’re facing a difficult time.” She also highlighted the growing need, remarking, “it seems as if there are more people on the verge of homelessness than there is money to fulfill their needs.”

When asked what her favorite part of volunteering with IFN is, Joann responded emphatically, “The people! I love the people I get to work with at IFN and how everyone interacts with one another. It’s almost like one big family, and I think this dynamic helps the employees do their jobs well and assist more people in need.”

Interfaith Neighbors thanks Joann for her continued service and looks forward to seeing her next Wednesday!

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