Agency Highlights
Jewish Family Services of Charlotte Welcomes "World's Worst Mom" to Charlotte
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Author and TV host Lenore Skenazy to speak at JFS "Family Reunion" annual meeting and recognition ceremony Sunday, April 21stLenore Skenazy is flying into Charlotte next month - but she won't be arriving by helicopter. Skenazy launched the national anti-helicopter parent movement, Free Range Kids in 2009, in response to the media frenzy she received after writing an article about allowing her 9-year-old to ride the subway alone in New York City. Two days later she was on The Today Show, MSNBC, Fox News, and all manner of talk radio with a new title under her smiling face: "America's Worst Mom?" Parent groups argued about it, bloggers blogged, spouses became uncivil with each other, and the media jumped all over it. Skenazy is visiting Charlotte at the request of Jewish Family Services of Greater Charlotte. As the keynote speaker at Jewish Family Services' Family Reunion annual meeting and recognition ceremony, Skenazy will offer insight to families looking to rear independent children without all the worry about the perceived dangers of today. Continue reading here.
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On March 5th, the Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services' Board members and Executive staff traveled to the State Capitol in Albany to advocate for legislative priorities this year just in time for the 2013/14 budget debate. They met with policymakers in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and Children and Families Committee. Their focus in this mission was on the potentially devastating consequences of the 6% cut to Developmental Disability Services. We had time in every meeting to give the context of five years of rising costs and flat revenues, the importance of restoring and expanding protections to Medicaid recipients requiring prescription medications, and the need to restore technology funding. We had some successes in other areas. Continue reading here. |
Don Schlesinger Joins Jewish Family Service of Colorado as Director of Community and Government Affairs
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Jewish Family Service of Colorado named Don Schlesinger as director of community and government affairs. Schlesinger will focus in the emerging public policy areas of homeless prevention and mental health service, representing JFS in public forums and identifying new government grant opportunities that will enable the agency to serve more clients. Continue reading here.
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Visit AJFCA's Calendar to learn more about free calls and webinars. For more information login to For Our Members on the AJFCA website, followed by Webinars. Contact Megan at 410-843-7327 with questions.
The Health Care Law 101
April 10th, 3pm ET
REGISTER HERE
Energize Our Families: Parent Program
April 10th, 6pm EDT
REGISTER HERE
Policy Change to Advance Falls Prevention
April 11th, 3pm EDT
REGISTER HERE
What We've Learned, and What's Next
April 30th, 2pm ET
REGISTER HERE
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Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
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D'Var TorahLee I. Sherman
President/CEO
On Wednesday, The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a research study conducted by the RAND Corporation on the cost of care for people with dementia. Most of us are aware of the growing need and cost to care for people with various forms of dementia. Many of our agencies are active in providing this care and in providing support and resources for caregivers. But, seeing the numbers, which some experts have said are conservative, is startling. Just a few of the numbers: nearly 15% of people in the U.S. over 70 have dementia, approximately 3.8 million; by 2040 that number will be 9.1 million people; direct health care expenses for dementia exceeded costs for both heart disease and cancer in 2010, and those numbers do not include the value of informal care, which is estimated to be anywhere from $50-106 billion. Clearly, we have a tremendous healthcare challenge.
The numbers in the RAND study represent the societal issue, but each of those 3.8 million people has a personal story. Memory loss is frightening and puts the individual at great risk of additional physical complications when not receiving proper care. In Judaism, we understand from Torah that family and our responsibility for one another are at the core of our values. The 5th Commandment, "Honor Thy Father and Mother," is placed on the side of the tablets with the obligations to God, because in the Jewish tradition, if one loses sight of the honor of his parents, he is more likely to lose sight of God.
In the Jewish community, and in the work of our Jewish family service agencies, we understand that a crisis in the family is a crisis of the entire community. It is our obligation to support those in need, so they may find strength in the family of community. The rise in the prevalence and magnitude of dementia is, indeed, a challenge for us, but steeped in our traditions, it is a challenge we are prepared to meet.
Shabbat Shalom.
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New Information: CMS Navigator Program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule this week outlining standards that Navigators in Federally-facilitated and State Partnership Marketplaces must meet, and clarifying earlier guidance about the Navigator program. For those who are not familiar with health insurance, have  limited English literacy, or are living with disabilities, Navigators will serve an important role in ensuring people understand the health coverage options available to them. Open enrollment in the Marketplace begins Oct. 1, 2013, with coverage to begin Jan. 1, 2014. To access the proposed rule released today, visit: http://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx. |
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Enough Cuts to Non-Defense Discretionary Spending!
A significant portion of the human service programs that organizations in our networks provide are funded through the Non-Defense Discretionary Spending (NDD) portion of the Federal budget. As you probably know and will read in the attached, NDD spending is one of the smaller parts of the budget and yet it endures cuts time after time.  AJFCA has joined with the National Assembly to get the message out about the specific impacts of NDD cuts to programs of our member agencies and the needs those programs address. We urge you to send this letter or your own statement to the same effect to your constituents, encouraging them to act, now, in the manner suggested in the paper. It is not an overstatement to say that the members of the National Assembly and their affiliates reach the vast majority of households in America (as consumers of services, donors or volunteers). Imagine the impact if we leveraged that reach to educate the public, the media, and public officials with this message. |
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A Vision for Jewish Philanthropy
The role of the philanthropist is to be a relentless question asker - to question the state of the world, especially what is not working and needs to be fixed.  Over 300 Jewish philanthropists and foundation professionals met in Los Angeles [before Passover] for the 2013 Jewish Funders Network Conference. One of the keynote addresses was a seven part "Dream for the Future of Jewish Philanthropy", presented by JFN president Andrés Spokoiny. Here is a recap of his recommendations to funders:
- Jewish philanthropy needs to be strategic.
- Measure the right things.
- Build the capacity of our organizations.
- Think long term.
- Maintain a healthy relationship with Jewish communal organizations.
- Effective philanthropy must be networked.
- Engage and inspire the next generation.
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Boards Are Not Ready for the Next Generation of Trustees 
A rising generation of younger donors and philanthropic leaders could bring new money to nonprofits and fresh energy to their boardrooms-if boards can overcome their current dysfunction enough to engage them. Continue reading here. |
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Putting a Value on Your Volunteers' Time
Volunteers play a key role in helping older adults learn about and apply for benefits. The Independent Sector, a leadership network for nonprofits and philanthropies, has estimated the hourly value of volunteer time at both a national and state level. Continue reading here. |
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Working Hard & Working Well: Q&A Interview with David Hunter of Hunter Consulting
In 2009, David Hunter published an article in the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal in which he revealed three unpleasant truths about the nonprofit sector: 1) There is a lack of credible evidence that most nonprofits produce any social value; 2) Direct service nonprofits won't course correct without external encouragement; and 3) Nonprofits generally abandon their vision, mission, goals, and objectives to meet the demands of their funders. Continue reading here. |
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How Do I Make My Mission Sound More Exciting?
Katya get's this question - or variations on it - often. If you're not an organization helping puppies and babies, how do you make your cause clear and compelling? Here are her three tips:
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Top 10 Spreadsheet Secrets From A Nonprofit Da ta Nerd
Here are the top 10 things you need to know in Excel to become a data nerd:
- Data isn't just for statisticians, accountants, and economists.
- Data analysis is a process, not a one-time thing.
- Don't underestimate the power of high school statistics.
- Organized spreadsheets are easier on the eyes.
- Pay attention to what's not there-your missing data.
- Quickie 60-second analyses can give you as much information as 60-minute analyses.
- Pivot tables will change your life.
- Pictures are worth a thousand words.
- Don't waste your time.
- Ask for help.
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We Were Slaves:
The Jewish Community Unites Against Sex Traffcking
UJA-Federation of New York's Task Force on Family Violence
- Human trafficking is a $32 billion industry.
- Jewish women and girls were trafficked for sex to the Americans as part of the "white slave trade.
- The average age of entry into prostitution is 13.
Attend this all-day conference to explore the history and obligation to combat sex-traf!cking. This conference is open to all and will provide essential information for social-service, legal, and medical professionals; Jewish clergy, rabbinical students, and educators; lay leaders and all those interested in learning more about this form of modern day slavery. Monday, April 22, 2013
8:30am-5:00pm
UJA-Federation of New York
Seventh-Floor Conference Center
130 East 59th Street
New York City
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2013 AJFCA Annual Conference 
Learn more about AJFCA's 41st Annual Conference here.
AJFCA's has a great line up of 2013 Annual Conference SPONSORS. Check out whose coming.
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