Case Manager, Health and Nutrition

JUF Careers•Chicago, IL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

EZRA’s Multi Service Center is a community-based service center providing emergency services to Chicago’s Edgewater, Uptown, and Lakeview communities. It is home to the JUF Uptown Cafe, Chicago’s first kosher anti-hunger program, which serves meals in a restaurant-like atmosphere with volunteer wait-staff from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago’s TOV (Tikkun Olam Volunteer) Network. The JUF Uptown Cafe Case Manager provides client support for the cafe program. The role includes staffing the cafe, orienting and supporting volunteers, enforcing house rules, implementing behavioral plans, engaging with guests during meals, and supporting positive behavioral change. The Case Manager also serves as the primary case management contact for cafe clients, helping them access financial assistance, public benefits, health insurance, advocacy, and other community resources. The position conducts intakes and follow-ups, maintains timely case notes and statistics, and requires confidentiality. The position is in person, with a schedule of Monday 10:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Tuesday 9:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Wednesday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Thursday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., and Friday 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Some flexibility is available. The role requires working some secular holidays, including Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. Salary range: $53,000–$55,000. The position is union eligible.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
3–5 years of experience in the social service field, preferably in case management.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Access, Outlook, and Excel, and ability to learn other systems as needed.
Strong communication, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills; ability to remain calm and collected.
Sensitivity when working with low-income populations, including seniors, people with mental illness or disabilities, people living with chronic illness, parents and children, and people experiencing homelessness.
Ability to connect with people of all racial and religious backgrounds and socioeconomic classes.
Strong leadership skills and ability to manage challenging group dynamics and advise others compassionately.
Ability to encourage and motivate people to participate, try new things, and grow personally.
Passion for social justice and acceptance and embrace of diversity.
Ability to network with volunteers, congregations, community organizations, and other Jewish entities.
Ability and willingness to work some secular holidays, including Thanksgiving and Memorial Day.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Desire to work for an agency with an urban Jewish social agenda.
Familiarity with, or willingness to learn about, Jewish dietary laws related to cafe management.

Responsibilities

Staff the JUF Uptown Cafe.
Welcome, orient, and debrief cafe volunteers about meal procedures, the program’s mission and goals, and its collaboration with EZRA and JUF.
Enforce house rules calmly and consistently.
Implement behavioral plans and disciplinary time-outs with respect and dignity.
Visit with cafe guests during meals, attending to hygiene, grooming, and interpersonal interactions.
Foster and support positive behavioral change, focusing on social function, and provide crisis intervention as necessary.
Obtain and maintain a food service certificate.
Serve as the primary case management contact for clients in the cafe program when needs arise.
Work with clients in crisis to determine needs for rental, utility, and other financial assistance.
Conduct benefits assessments and connect clients with eligible public benefits and resources.
Assist clients in navigating the health insurance marketplace to obtain affordable health insurance.
Advocate for clients on issues including benefits maintenance and financial assistance through other agencies and the Financial Assistance Committee.
Conduct cafe intakes.
Follow up with cafe guests who have stopped participating.
Enter case notes accurately and on time.
Maintain statistics.