JBBBS News Upon the New Year

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a great summer. This past June I was joined by JBBBS Board Member and Big Sister Amy Hearne on a CJP-led mission to San Antonio to visit with immigrant families at the border who have been impacted by separation. This was a hard trip emotionally, but I came away with an even deeper appreciation of unsung heroes who every day are sacrificing their time, energy and resources to help other people.

I have a deep respect for the volunteers from the Interfaith Welcome Center who make sure asylum seekers (many of whom have experienced domestic and gang violence), have food, water, and other essentials, as they make their way to the safety of relatives. I feel the same way about our incredible Bigs and Friends who devote their time and emotional resources every month to impact someone’s life through mentorship. You inspire me.

It has been a particularly exciting time for JBBBS, both as we look back and move forward. Thanks to the Board, and our Strategic Planning Committee, chaired by Marc Rubenstein and David Franklin, we have established a new three-year plan that propels us forward for increased growth and impact based on four key pillars: Innovation, Engagement, Partnership, and Inclusion. I look forward to hearing your input on our plan which you can find here.

Thank you to everyone who has made a gift to support JBBBS this year. As we close our 2018 Annual Campaign on September 30, we hope you will consider making a first time or renewed commitment gift to JBBBS to help change lives.

DONATE NOW!

JBBBS Events & Updates

Camp and College Scholarships

At JBBBS, we believe that mentorship is critical but not solely sufficient for success. For that reason, we strive to address the emotional, social and financial needs of all of the children and all of the adults with disabilities which we serve.

With this in mind, I am proud to share that we awarded the most camp and college scholarships in JBBBS history! Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we:

Sent 80 Littles to camp on scholarships
Awarded 38 college scholarships totaling over $211,000
Provided 38 students with brand new backpacks filled with school supplies
Awarded 2 scholarships so that one current high school Junior and one Senior will have access to free year-long consulting services with a college planner/financial adviser.

Above are some photos from our recent Scholars BBQ at Chair Eve Youngerman and David Lee’s home, where college students socialized and received a complimentary budgeting workshop from our friends at Jewish Vocational Services.

Rodman Ride for Kids

On September 22, JBBBS will once again be a proud partner of the Rodman Ride for Kids in Foxboro. Are you interested in riding with #TeamJBBBS, supporting our mission through fundraising, or volunteering on the Day of the Ride? Our team always has a blast! And all money raised directly impacts the mission of JBBBS and is increased by 3% from the Rodman Ride. For more information, or to donate to Team JBBBS, click here .

Mass Mentoring Partnership

JBBBS was recently awarded a grant from Mass Mentoring Partnership specifically to support our mentoring work in the City of Newton. Thanks to our partnership, JBBBS staff will participate in a workshop on mentoring trends with MMP leadership next month. Check out the press release here .

Staff Transitions

After 26 years at JBBBS, Chief Program Officer Lisa Cohen has decided to leave. Lisa began her career at the agency as a social worker and has been an instrumental leader and clinician throughout her tenure. I, along with the staff and Board, are grateful for her exemplary tenure and commitment to the agency. As we hire for a Clinical Director , we have a strong interim clinical leadership team in place comprised of Jan Klein (Director of Programs for Adults with Disabilities), Anne Grossman (Assistant Director of the Children’s Program) and Amy Chartock (Director of Partnerships & Volunteer Engagement).

New Additions to the JBBBS Staff

I am delighted to welcome some new staff to the JBBBS Team!

Lauren Korn: Programs Coordinator
Tess Miller: Children’s Team, Social Worker
Erin Walker: Programs for Adults with Disabilities, Social Worker
Caitlin White: Children’s Team, Social Worker

They join myself, Amy, Anne, Joan, Jan K., Jan P., Tania, Meredith, Jenny, Stacey, and Zack. I’m grateful to work with such a talented and mission-driven team.

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, which translates literally as the head (or start) of the year, it is an important time to reflect on our past and our intentions for the upcoming year. For me, this reflection is both very personal as well as professional. I ask myself whether my eyes and heart have been truly open to seeing ways I can support others around me and what more can I do to meet the needs in our community and support the incredible staff and volunteers of JBBBS who are dedicated to improving lives through mentorship. I’m grateful that this reflective process as well as the commitment to Tikkun Olam – repairing the world – are core tenants of the Jewish values that JBBBS was founded upon and still guide us today.

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and fulfilling New Year!

Kimberlee Schumacher , President and CEO

kimberlee@jbbbs.org

PS – Please mark your calendars for our Annual Gala on April 6, 2019 , where we will honor three extraordinary JBBBS leaders and volunteers – Carolynn Levy, Adam Riemer and Marc Seligman . Celebration will once again be at the House of Blues with the fabulous Hip Pocket Orchestra!