March is National Social Worker's Month. For me, it's meaningful because it feels like whoever is aware of this is, somehow, recognizing and celebrating our work... social work... the discipline we practice at JFCS throughout the year. As a Human Services agency, we provide several functions: Mental Health Services, Case Management for seniors, individuals and families, and Financial Aid and Advocacy. Each one of these functions is fulfilled by social workers.
Every day the nation's 650,000 social workers act as advocates, champions and leaders who make our society a better place to live. Social workers are trained to look at situations in a holistic way, bringing people together with others and their communities to find strategies to address pressing individual, group and societal problems such as hunger, affordable housing, equal rights and, of course, advocacy to make organizations and government accountable. Social workers are bound by the NASW Code of Ethics, which calls on members of the profession to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.
I am grateful all year long to all of my amazing staff, from the interns to my executive team and everyone in between. But today, I am recognizing and thanking the social workers at Jewish Family & Children's Services, who are on our front lines with our clients every day. Their dedication to their work is undeniable, each individually and as a highly impactful group, and I feel blessed to be able to celebrate them.
Just one other thing... we are so excited that JFCS has been chosen to participate in PRESIDE - a national program on leadership and governance through a Jewish lens, funded by Legacy Heritage. This elite group of Jewish organizations met this month to begin this 18-month program for CEOs and board chairs on leading through a Jewish lens, building a sustainable culture of intentional leadership and effective governance. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate, and look forward to significant and tangible benefits to JFCS, the community and all whom we serve.
