VOLUNTEER COORDINATION COMMITTEE

Temple Beth Shalom Volunteer Spotlight: Judy Fox

As a mother of four girls and a grandmother nine times over, Judy Fox understands the magnitude of love a mother feels for her child. As a young girl who lost her mother to suicide, Judy also understands the emotional impact that something as simple as – hearing a mother’s voice – can have on a child. It is no wonder that Judy chose to make a difference in the lives of children who, due to circumstances beyond their control, have been denied the opportunity to consistently hear their mother’s voices.

Judy started and chairs one of Temple Beth Shalom's most successful social action projects, the Storybook Hour at Gatesville Woman’s Prison. Judy, along with many dedicated volunteers, visits prisoners monthly with tape recorders and children’s books in hand. While there, the mother’s voices are captured on tape as they read a book. After every visit a brand new book, accompanied by their mother’s recording, is mailed to each child. Every four months a new group of women is selected to participate – they must be on good behavior to be eligible. The volunteers have found that after four recordings, the relationship has a beginning and the mothers and children continue to communicate.

When Judy learned of the Storybook Hour project that had already been implemented by St. Marks Episcopal Church, she was immediately attracted to it. Since then Temple Beth Shalom has been working hand in hand with St. Marks, resulting in it now being an interfaith program.

“Shortly after my mother died, a nurse who was caring for my ailing grandmother became a mothering figure to me for almost the first three years of my life. The end result was that I did not see her again until I was in my thirties, but I would often find myself yearning when I heard a voice similar to hers. It wasn’t until I met this nurse and heard her speak so many years later that I finally understood why this particular voice quality caused me to long for someone I didn’t even remember who. A mother’s voice is such a simple thing – but there is nothing more impacting, especially when you’ve had a loss.” Judy says that the project has really taken hold. “The children love it. The little ones have been known to carry the tapes and books with them, point to them and say “Mommy.” One older child burned it on a CD and takes it with her to school in her backpack.”

When asked what she has learned from the project, Judy says, “Most of us went into it explicitly to help the children, and what we discovered was the strong impact we have had on the mothers” She adds, “For the most part, the offenders look like regular people – most not much different from our daughters or sisters. They have made a serious mistake, but they are human and like any mother, their children are important to them.”

The project currently has plenty of books but Judy mentions they need funding for the second half of the Storybook Hour, parenting classes taught to the female inmates by two social workers hired by the project. The women are quite enthusiastic and receptive to these classes. Due to budget cuts, the prison no longer receives funding for these classes, which, according to Judy, are critical to many of the mothers who are frequently close to going home.

Aside from her successes as a volunteer, Judy has been married for 36 years and has lived in Austin for 32 years. She is a happily retired registered social worker and nurse, and has spent the last five years writing a book about overcoming the loss of a parent to suicide. The book titled, “Voices of Strength: Sons and Daughters of Suicide Speak” is nearly complete and includes accounts of 62 individuals. Like the Storybook Hour project, it has been a labor of love.

If you would like more information or to get involved with the Storybook Hour project please contact Judy at 512-292-4115 or judithfox@ev1.net.

Temple Beth Shalom "Volunteer Central" Matches Willing Volunteers with Projects in Need of Help

Are you a willing volunteer in waiting? Are you a committee or event chairperson looking for a few good volunteers? If so, Temple Beth Shalom has a new committee formally known as the "Volunteer Coordination Committee" that is the perfect resource for you! The Volunteer Coordination Committee matches willing volunteers with committee chairs and event chairs who need willing helpful volunteers to help them accomplish their goals. If you are either a volunteer or someone in need of a volunteer, please contact Cindy Bizella.