Who do I ask for a reference after a layoff? - 8 months and counting

I worry a reference will only confirm dates of employment. There are 16 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. I have one former client who liked my work. Is a client acceptable?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 8 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.