By Gefen Miller
The lowercase spelling of imadi – the Hebrew phrase for “by your side” — is no aesthetic choice. It’s a reflection of the local organization’s unwavering humility, requesting no financial compensation for services provided to any Jewish family undergoing a life-changing pediatric diagnosis.
The group’s mission is to help children and their families who are facing complex pediatric diagnoses every step of the way. Founded by Northwest Baltimore resident Tzvi Haber in 2021, imadi provides a support network for more than 150 families in Maryland and D.C. Jewish communities, actively participating in every client’s care journey.
Offering personalized service for a wide range of conditions, imadi contacts specialized medical professionals, helps organize financial aspects of care and insurance complexities, and develops vital support modalities for families.
Employing a trauma-informed approach, imadi’s mission focuses on the wellbeing of a child through their medical care, providing interactive activities such as a Big Brother/Big Sister programming with teen volunteers, holiday parties, and a summer camp experience.
Assigned one out of two concierge “case managers,” imadi families are provided with a curated experience based on their location, child’s diagnosis and personal preference, offering assistance with all aspects of family life outside the medical process, including carpooling, meal preparations and even housing for out-of-town families.
“At imadi, we embrace the entire family,” said board member Cheri Hurwitz
With more than 300 high school volunteers strategically matched with the unique needs of a given family, imadi encourages students to become integral members of their support network.
Personalized teen volunteer work includes taking an imadi child on outings such as bowling or dinner, planning and executing a year-round cycle of special events, and even tutoring to ensure no child falls behind in schoolwork due to medical absences.
Inclusive of a wide range of diagnoses and Jewish religious denominations, imadi favors a “Big Tent Approach,” catering to clients from all backgrounds, and even supporting those who have flown in for their treatment, usually centered around the Johns Hopkins Hospital area.
“Every family feels welcome with imadi,” said Haber. “We bring everyone together.”
Funded through community fundraisers and individual donations, imadi’s services are entirely free of charge, ensuring that families are provided the care they need immediately, with 33% of their clientele facing life-threatening chronic illnesses.
With offices in Randallstown and Silver Spring, imadi representatives can be contacted in person, over email and by phone, with a dedicated team of six full-time employees ready on hand.
For information, visit imadi.org.
Gefen Miller is a Jmore editorial staff intern.
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