A Letter from our CEO and Board President |
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Dear JFS Family,
As we enter Spring, a time of renewal and full of hope, it makes sense that we are also looking back on all we have been through. All year long, at different milestone markers (seasons, holidays, life events), we take time to pause, reflect and embrace what we have learned. We would like to share some of our own reflections and lessons learned with you.
For those of us who like everything to be meticulously organized and pre-planned, this was not our year. We were struck by the closeness of time between the one-year mark of the pandemic and Passover. A holiday that follows a particular order provided, yet, one more experience that required a change of plans. This past year has truly provided anything but order. Yet, here we are, reflecting on the challenges we have faced with a positive outlook ahead. Learning to “pivot” has become the new normal.
At JFS, our work didn’t stop. If anything, it got busier. Staff utilized new tools to meet with clients virtually. Our Food Pantry distribution moved to a drive-thru model; once serving 180 families a week, now serving 750 families- in just three hours' time. We successfully provided funds for emergency housing and utility assistance to those in need. Older adult clients learned how to “log on” and our Career and Financial Services department provided assistance to those facing unemployment. So, what was the lesson learned here? Even with seemingly insurmountable challenges, we can always find a way forward. We all learned to be flexible...to be creative... to rise to the occasion.
At JFS, we are proud to continue to provide effective, accessible, and comprehensive mental health and social services that promote lifelong self-sufficiency and well-being for the Greater Dallas Community. At a time when we are being instructed to “distance”, JFS is still finding ways to keep those connections close. When life seems totally out of order, our Board members, volunteers, donors, and staff continue to show up for JFS, meeting after meeting, donation after donation, volunteer opportunity after volunteer opportunity. By showing up for JFS, you help provide consistency, and the order our clients so desperately need.
We thank you for your continued commitment to JFS and wish everyone good health, more order, and space to reflect on the lessons we've learned together.
Best,
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Cathy Barker
Chief Executive Officer
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Julie Liberman
Board President
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Highlighting Those Who "Made More Possible When It All Seemed Impossible" on our Donor Recognition Wall |
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Thank you to those who have already made a donation this year! As a reminder, Jewish Family Service will not be holding a fundraising event for this Fiscal Year (Aug 1, 2020 - July 31, 2021). We plan to bring your favorite events back as soon as it is safe to do so!
Since we’re still in the middle of a pandemic don’t get dressed up, don’t log on to Zoom, don’t leave the couch ...but most importantly don’t forget to donate*!
*Gifts of 1,800+ given before April 30, 2021 will be included in a
Donor Recognition Wall. Click the button below for a digital example of the wall and Society of Life Benefits this year.
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Monday, May 3, 2021
7:00pm-8:00pm
Our dedicated Priya Advisory Committee members, Dr. Jerald Goldstein, Dr. Ran Friedman, and Rabbi Yogi Robkin, along with Mrs. Nikki Friedman of Nafshi will speak about the emotional, physical, and spiritual perspective that infertility takes on couples struggling to build a family and how to be supported and support others in this community. This free discussion will be facilitated by Caryn Peiser, The Priya Fund Coordinator, and will serve as a kick-off to our inaugural Priya Mother’s Day fundraiser from May 3 - May 9.
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Holocaust Survivor Gifts Legacy Blanket to Celebrate 101 Years of Life |
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Leni Bendorf has been a client of JFS since 2017. During the pandemic, she worked with Yaffa Podbilewicz-Schuller, Ph.D., a psychologist with the Holocaust Survivor Care Program at JFS, to create a Legacy project as a way to bring a sense of purpose, meaning, and structure to her life.
Being an avid knitter, Leni has created beautiful pieces in the past, but with her declining vision and use of only one hand, she can now only create simple crocheted pieces.
With the help of a JFNA grant for the expansion of patient-centered trauma-informed (PCTI) care for Holocaust survivors, Leni and her therapist developed a project to give further purpose to her favorite activity by creating a legacy piece: something that would capture part of her life that she can share with others.
The art form gave her the opportunity to reflect on the almost 3 years she and her husband spent in hiding during the war.
She has given us permission to share her story for educational purposes as part of her Legacy project. Watch the video above to see Leni bestow her gift and stay tuned to hear more about our plans to feature her Legacy project!
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PERK Welcomes New Meeting Facilitator |
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Parents Empowered Raising Kids (PERK) is a program of the Special Needs Partnership. It was established to create social and support connections between adults who are raising children with special needs.
Janet Henson, LCDC, LPC is the new PERK facilitator. She is a licensed clinician with Jewish Family Service specializing in teenagers and young adult populations. Janet brings 30 years of experience in private practice, community mental health and full time ministry.
"I know that there are so many more parents out in the community that would benefit from such a positive group of parents while also bringing their own ideas and expertise as parents to the rest of us. I really hope to expand the network and make sure that everyone that needs to know about PERK is offered the opportunity to participate," Henson says.
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Special Passover Package Deliveries |
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JFS Volunteers packed and distributed Passover packages to 500 individuals in our community to remind them that they are connected to a vibrant Jewish community. The recipients were thrilled to be greeted with big smiles and friendly conversations and received all the items needed to celebrate the holiday.
Yaffa Podbilewicz-Schuller, Ph.D., JFS Clinical Psychologist for Holocaust Survivors personally delivered packages to her clients, including survivor Musiy Rozenshteyn.
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Frisco Emergency Rental Assistance |
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The City of Frisco is eligible for direct funding from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program included in Congress's latest COVID-19 relief package. Residents living inside the Frisco city limits may seek funding from JFS!
We can assist with:
Rental Arrears and Rent payments for up to 15 months*
Utilities, trash, Internet, and late fee
Legal fees associated with evictions
Relocation assistance in some cases to ensure housing stability
In 2020, we distributed $3.4 million in emergency housing and utility assistance to more than 1,000 families through partnerships with the City of Dallas and Dallas and Collin Counties.
For more information about this program contact Carey Nottingham, MS, LPC, Manager of Intake Services, at cnottingham@jfsdallas.org or (469) 607-7141.
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Emergency Lifeline Grant provides additional Police Officers to JFS Dallas |
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This money has gone to ensure that we have sufficient security at our weekly drive-thru food distributions. We are thankful for the incredible officers who keep the JFS office and food distributions secure. Thank you Officer Lee, Officer Freeman, and all the Dallas Police Department officers. We appreciate you!
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PLAN Introduces New Peer Support and Case Management Initiative |
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In addition to the vast array of services PLAN offers for those living with severe and persistent mental illness, we now offer dedicated case management, generously funded by a grant from North Texas Behavioral Health Authority.
Without quality case management to address areas of housing, navigating benefits, assistance with accessing medical services, food, and transportation, individuals
with mental illness may struggle. This makes an important addition to the PLAN @ 1121 Rock Clubhouse which helps to address the areas of socialization, employment and purposeful living.
PLAN now has two part-time Case Managers and three part-time Certified Peer Specialists on staff, as well as several volunteer Certified Peer Specialists to provide extra support to PLAN members and non-members alike.
To learn more about PLAN contact Ruth Josenhans, Director of PLAN, at rjosenhans@jfsdallas.org or (972) 690-7526.
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JFS Foundation: Fundholder Spotlight |
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We're kicking off National Volunteer week (April 18-24) with a Volunteer Highlight, look for more highlights and celebration on our social media! |
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Uniper Care Technology Addresses Senior Isolation |
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Since the start of the pandemic, the demand for senior services that address growing social isolation has been outpacing the community’s ability to respond. Until recently, the program had limited video platforms available or the equipment needed to provide virtual services.
Through a grant from Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), in partnership with Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA) we have joined a list of several JFS organizations across the country that now offer Uniper Care technology equipment and services that are easy to use for people with multiple capabilities including some with dementia and across the older adult age span.
For more information about this program, contact Yaffa Podbilewicz-Schuller, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Holocaust Survivor Care, at Ypodbilewicz@jfsdallas.org or (469) 445-0616.
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Donations needed - now drop off at JFS! |
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The wait is over! We are now accepting your gently-used items at the JFS Office or The Resale Shop.
2120 E. Beltline Road Richardson, Texas 75081
Donations accepted 12:00pm - 6:00pm Monday through Friday
5402 Arapaho Road Dallas, TX 75248
Donations accepted 9:00am - 5:00pm Monday through Friday
Do you have bulk donations or large furniture? Call (214) 710-1362 to schedule a safe donation pick-up from your home! Please anticipate a delay due to volume of calls.
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Designate JFS as your charitable organization of choice on AmazonSmile |
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With everyone shopping online significantly more, we want to remind Amazon users to make sure you are shopping on AmazonSmile, which will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice.
Follow the 3 easy steps above to designate JFS as your preferred charitable organization! For more information click here.
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