Joyce Cowin, Fran Levy and Julie Menin.

JBFCS celebrated its Annual Spring Benefit honoring Manhattan Borough President Candidate and Chairperson of Community Board 1 Julie Menin, JBFCS Trustee Joyce B. Cowin, and JBFCS Trustee Fran Levy on April 23. Melissa Russo, News Anchor WNBC, played Master of Ceremonies. JBFCS hosted a record-breaking 500 guests and raised $2.2 million. The event was held at New York City’s Plaza Hotel and featured a cocktail reception plus seated dinner with proceeds benefiting JBFCS’ 175 community-based programs, residential facilities, and day-treatment centers that annually serve more than 55,000 New Yorkers-in-need.

On April 17, Erica Schwartz hosted the 7th Annual Ladies Night Out in her Upper East Side home. More than $31,000 was raised to benefit our Center for Child Development and Learning. Comedian Marion Grodin provided a rollicking good time for the women in attendance. The event was co-chaired by Holly Berfield, Sheri Gellman, Nancy Sholes Gillman, Yael Redelman-Sidi, Erica Schwartz, Lori Vaughan, and Holly Youngwood.

Thursday, May 10, benefited the Lindsay Elisabeth Merker Fund, which supports the Child Development Center. More than $32,000 was raised in an evening spent enjoying the fine cuisine at Sardi’s and then the tuneful pleasures of the new production of Evita, starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger.

Parents Associations are often a lifesaver to schools in need. The PA for the Child Development Center holds an annual fundraiser/auction and this year, they gathered together to raise more than $70,000 to benefit our school located on 139th Street in Harlem. The funds will help offset some upcoming capital expenditures that CDC is anticipating. Thank you parents for your generous hearts and letting us serve your children the best way we can.

Managing Tough Times

Life’s challenges don’t always feel manageable and can shift a child’s development off course. Children can be stressed by events beyond their control, such as losses or disruptions in their families. Especially for children with learning difficulties, academic demands can be very stressful. For others, there are significant stressors in peer relations. What all of these examples have in common is understanding a child’s capacity to cope.

Children and adolescents need to know when, where, and how to seek help, and so do parents. Guiding Parents through Services (GPS), a program funded by UJA-Federation of New York, provides free, confidential consultations for parents with concerns about their child’s development and emotional well-being. Clinical social workers are available for parents to discuss behaviors noticed at school or at home and assess when referrals to therapy are needed. Oftentimes, a parent may only need a few tips on strategies so they’re equipped to continue supporting their child. To schedule a consultation or learn about parenting workshops in your area, please contact 212.632.4668 or gps@jbfcs.org.

Mother's Day Bonanza

A call went out to staff the week before Mother’s Day. Do you have any old costume jewelry that you just don’t wear anymore? The aim? To have presents for children in our domestic violence shelters to give to their moms on this auspicious day. The response was overwhelming. We collected enough jewels for every mom and even the staff to get a gift on Mother’s Day.

With Great Pride

The 7th Annual Pride Celebration of the Westchester Division will take place on June 14 on our Hawthorne Cedar Knolls campus. This year’s festivities will include an art gallery reception in the Hawthorne Dining Hall, followed by guest speakers and a performing arts showcase in the Hawthorne Gym. The art will reflect themes of diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. Our performances will feature a dramatic scene from the film Philadelphia, singing, dancing, and poetry created and performed by our talented youth. Interested in attending?

In addition, on June 26, there will be a Pride celebration at JBFCS headquarters. If you'd like to attend either celebration, email Nancy Nisselbaum at nnisselbaum@jbfcs.org.

On Saturday, May 12, our JBFCS team of clients, staff, and Divisional Board members walked in the NAMI Walk (National Alliance on Mental Illness). We had 155 people walking with us. The weather cooperated beautifully and a good time was had by all. Helping raise awareness about living with mental illness is a major portion of JBFCS’ mission. Recovery is the name of the game and our staff and consumers work hard together to make sure that everyone puts their best foot forward.

Publishing Prowess

In this groundbreaking book, Trauma-Focused CBT for Children and Adolescents, being released in June, JBFCS’ own Christina Grosso, LCAT, ATR-BC, BCETS, and Director of Trauma Services and Training, authored the chapter on Children with Developmental Disabilities. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy has become the leading empirically supported treatment for children exposed to traumatic life events.

Pre-order online to get a discounted price.