JIFLA Changing Lives
By Karolyn Benger | Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta Director
Many families are one sickness, one accident or one missed payment from financial disaster. So many Jewish families in Atlanta, our neighbors and friends, live paycheck to paycheck. JIFLA provides interest-free loans to Jewish families in need. Our mission is to help families maintain or achieve financial stability. Our goal is to stop the downward financial spiral before it begins. An interest-free loan can make the difference between getting through a difficult time and going under. JIFLA stands on the cliff, pulling families away from the edge.
Scott, a father of two, works hard to provide for his family. When his car broke down, the repairs cost over $2,000. He didn’t have the money but couldn’t get to work without his car. Without his job, Scott couldn’t pay his mortgage and would lose his house. JIFLA gave him an interest-free loan, preventing that downward spiral. The next day his car was out of the shop, and Scott was back at work.
Lisa was nine months’ pregnant when her divorce was final. Her ex-husband got the house, and Lisa needed money for a security deposit for an apartment and help with expenses for six weeks until she could return to work. An interest-free loan kept Lisa and her baby from being homeless.
The Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta opened in 2010 and has been growing. We are partners with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta and several family philanthropic foundations. We offer loans for families facing financial crisis and have a specialized Women in Crisis fund for single women in challenging situations.
The demand has increased, and we achieved a 40 percent increase in loans last year alone. Please visit www.jifla.org to learn more, and like us on Facebook to raise awareness of Jewish financial assistance. You also can contact us at 470-268-5665 or freeloan@jifla.org.
Interest-free loans. It’s that simple.
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