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D'Var Torah
Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO
Recently, I was asked by our colleagues at the National Human Services Assembly to contribute a paper to work they are doing on how we address the message of "family" in the work we are doing in the human services field. We have been considering the challenges of families in today's world, as well as the aspirations we have for all families.
The book of Bereshit is replete with intense descriptions of family situations that are easily recognizable to the modern reader. In this week's parashah, Va-Yera, we learn of the improbable birth of a child to a couple who believed they were beyond child-bearing age. We see the heartbreak resulting from the exclusion of one child because of the protective actions of the mother of a second child. And, we observe the struggles of Abraham as a father whose faith is challenged by sending away one son and being asked to sacrifice the other. His reward may be that his descendants are a global family "as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands of the seashore," but was that worth the personal loss he experienced by never seeing his sons again after making his life-changing decisions?
There is nothing more personal than family. With all of the joys and heartbreak of the family experience, we both rejoice and mourn, celebrate and castigate. But, as human service providers, we are committed to ensuring that every family, regardless of its makeup, will be able to realize its full potential and like Abraham's family be blessed for generations to come.
Shabbat Shalom
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North America's General Assembly
Earlier this week, I attended the Jewish Federation of North America's General Assembly in Denver along with AJFCA staff Shelley Rood and Dalia Margalit-Faircloth. The GA is a gathering of Jewish professional and lay leadership from North America and around the globe to learn from and network with one another. We were able to visit with representatives from a number of our agencies and discuss collaborative initiatives for AJFCA with potential partners, some of which you will hear more about soon. The theme of the conference was the "Original Social Network" and based on the noise level of the constant buzz in the lobby and corridors of the hotel, this was definitely the case.
Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO
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Changes in Administration: Implications for the Staff
Every time a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) takes the reins at an organization, change is inevitable, particularly because each CEO brings his or her own unique administrative style and vision to the organization. Often the new CEO brings to the position a great deal of enthusiasm and a desire to improve the way the agency delivers its services to the community. Often this change greatly impacts either positively or negatively on the staff and board of directors.
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Fundraising Through Personal & Social Networks
By recruiti ng your staff, volunteers, or committed supporters to fundraise for you, you can tap into new sources of passion and contacts, in a technique variously called friend-to-friend fundraising, personal fundraising, team fundraising, or social fundraising. How do you get started? What tools are available to help your supporters fundraise online? And what are the best practices that can lead to success?
Idealware will talk through:
- What is Social/ Friend-to-Friend Fundraising?
- Case Study: Beth Kanter and the Sharing Foundation
- Case Study: The Reach School
- What Tools are Available? (including ChipIn, Change.org, Facebook Causes, ChangingthePresent.org, FirstGiving, Blackbaud Sphere Events)
- Tips and Best Practice
FREE WEBINAR - Fundraising through Social and Personal Networks
Thursday, November 17th, 1:00pm-2:00pm EST
REGISTER HERE
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What's Best for Your Agency-Nonprofit State Unemployment Taxes
History of Nonprofit Employer Regulations
1935 - Social Security Act required for-profit employers to provide unemployment benefits.
1972 - Most nonprofit employers required to pay benefits through either state tax system (SUI) or by
reimbursing state for actual claims.
Why Give Nonprofits an Option?
1. Nonprofits historically have:
- Lower turnover
- Fewer unemployment claims
2. Ex-employees receive benefits:
- File for benefits with the state
- Paid by the state regardless of employer option
What's Best for Your Agency?
Option A: Pay SUI Taxes, regardless of cost or claims
Option B: Self-Reimburse (pay state only for claims)
Option C: 501 (c) Agencies Trust
Learn the benefits, challenges and risks of Option A in next week's e-newsletter. For questions regarding "An Unemployment Trust Program That Saves Jewish Family & Children's Agencies Money," please contact Heidi Posada, 501c Agencies Trust Representative.
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Bridging the Gap
As a sector, we seek to ensure that the people and communities we serve have the opportunities and resources they need to thrive.
Yet, currently, millions of Americans - our clients and constituents - are struggling just to make ends meet. 1 in 6 people in Ame rica face poverty every day. 1 in 4 people in America can't afford to pay for healthy foods. And more than 50 million people are living without health insurance.
As a member of The Nation Human Services Assembly, AJFCA and member agencies are invited to join this free webinar.
Bridging the Gap - Connecting Frontline Workers and their Families to Critically Needed Supports in Tough Times
Tuesday, November 22nd, 1-2:30pm EST
REGISTER HERE
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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Leverage More Funding with Social Solutions' Efforts to Outcomes Software
Nonprofits are now in the midst of a major change in how funders - both public and private - select their grantees and funded partners. More money is beginning to flow to high-performing, innovative nonprofits.
Over 2,300 organizations are considered by industry thought-leaders as "high performing" due to their consistent ability to prove go od intent, measure change, relate efforts to outcomes, and attract more funding by leveraging' Social Solutions Efforts to Outcomes (ETO ™) software.
High-performing, innovative nonprofits are more likely than others to eventually achieve their desired outcomes. Social Solutions is offering 15-minute chats about how they're helping other organizations:
- Attract more funding
- Prove good intent
- Measure change
- Relate efforts to outcomes
As trusted advisors within this industry, Social Solutions can also talk about other efforts underway to alter the flow of funds coming into the nonprofit sector so that more money goes to those most capable of and likely to generate social value.
Please feel free to contact Adrian Bordone, Co-Founder of Social Solutions at 866-732-3560 ext. 4. In the mean time, feel free to view Social Solutions' free library of brief best-practice webinars.
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Upcoming AJFCA Webinars
AJFCA Group Purchasing Program - FREE Webinar
PurchasingPointSM is a program that enables national nonprofits and their affiliate networks to purchase products and services at substantial discounts. The range of categories includes office supplies, food, furniture, shipping, copiers, postage e quipment, facility maintenance supplies, employee and volunteer screening, rental cars, web and audio conferencing services, and more. This is a tremendous opportunity to lower costs and direct more money toward your mission related work. We encourage you to take advantage of it!
You will learn: - A brief overview of the program
- Tour of the portal
- Learn about examples of vendor discounts and sign-up processes
AJFCA Group Purchasing Program Wednesday, November 16th, 2:00pm EST
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 | | Colleen Rodriguez |
Jewish Family & Community Services of Jacksonville announced Colleen Rodriguez, LCSW as agency Executive Director. Colleen has been with the agency for fourteen years, most recently as the Interim Executive Director. She begins her leadership role effective immediately.
Colleen has a Masters in Social Work from Florida State University, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a proud wife and mother of two. She looks forward to, "carrying on the Jewish traditions and values that are the foundation of JFCS and our six core programs that serve the most vulnerable population in our community." Read more about Colleen's promotion here.
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