JFCS of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, and Sonoma counties serves 65,000 people annually with social services designed to strengthen individuals, families, and the community.
Why do we exist?
The oldest and one of the largest family service organizations west of the Mississippi, JFCS has continued to evolve to serve the needs of people at every stage of life—from the cradle to the rocking chair—and has strengthened the lives of countless individuals and families, as well as the community. With more than 40 innovative programs that touch the lives of more than 65,000 people annually, JFCS provides services whose depth and breadth allow those we help become more productive and self-reliant.
Our highly acclaimed programs include Parents Place, a resource center for families and children; Seniors At Home, which offers comprehensive services for older individuals; émigré services; services for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses; emergency assistance and counseling; Dream House, housing and supportive services for women and their children who have experienced domestic abuse; YouthFirst, which offers our young people many opportunities to learn about leadership; and LGBT outreach.
Learn more about JFCS and our services at www.jfcs.org .
What have you accomplished?
JFCS is a nonprofit organization that provides services to individuals and families of all ages and of all religious, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We serve as an extended family for so many in our community—children and families, individuals and couples, seniors, refugees and émigrés, and people with chronic diseases and disabilities.
Helping Seniors
June is a 79-year-old retired teacher. When her vision began failing a year ago, she contacted JFCS’ Seniors At Home, which has provided her with both a volunteer driver and home care aide. The driver takes her on errands and to social engagements, allowing June to keep active and interested in life; the aide assists June with difficult household tasks, ensuring that she can remain living in the home she has lovingly maintained for more than 40 years.
Helping Adults
As a result of the recession, Robert, a 45-year-old banking executive, was let go from his job. A widower who lost his wife a year ago, Robert is the sole provider and caregiver for two children, ages 8 and 12. Robert’s rabbi directed him to JFCS for help with immediate needs: financial assistance and counseling, as well as referrals for job counseling. JFCS also provided Robert and his children with grief counseling to cope with the many recent losses in their lives.
Helping Parents
Joanne and Cindy adopted Jonas as a baby through Adoption Connection, JFCS’ adoption agency. During his early years, they loved coming to JFCS’ Parents Place for parenting workshops and drop-in play groups. They appreciated the good information that parent educators provided them, plus the care and attention that Jonas received, and they felt welcome as an LGBT couple. When his teachers noticed that he seemed unfocused, fidgety, and easily distracted, Joanne and Cindy brought Jonas to Parents Place’s Center for Special Needs, where a therapist conducted a comprehensive assessment. Jonas was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, and Joanne and Cindy are now taking steps to make sure that he receives appropriate treatment for that condition.
Helping Émigrés
Alex, his parents, and his older sister emigrated from the Ukraine 15 years ago, when he was only 2. JFCS helped to resettle his family in the Bay Area. The agency found housing for them, provided vocational counseling to Alex’s parents, and enrolled them in English classes. Today, Alex continues to benefit from JFCS services. This past summer, he completed a JFCS internship at a public interest law firm—through the agency’s YouthFirst leadership programs—and he participates in JFCS’ Team Tzadek programs, which offer young people opportunities to learn about the gifts of community service.
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