AJFCA Newsletter
In This Issue
2013 AJFCA Annual Conference
SNAP
Inclusive Philanthropy
Autism Awareness Month
Innovations in Benefits Access
Meaningful Mother's Day
Integrity in the Boardroom
Mission Question
Respoding to a Letter of Rejection
Re-imagining Your Annual Report
Great Fundraising
Social Media Checklist
The Power of Thank You
New Kind of Nonprofit Leader
Inforgraphics: From Data to Design
Value in Jewish Community
AJFCA Partner- Foothold Technology - Free Webinar
AJFCA Partner- Global Vision Technology- Free Webinar
Inclusion Training
AJFCA Links
Agency Highlights

Eric's "Big Ride" benefits the JFCS Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill Community Food Pantry

  
jfcs pittsburgh
     
Shortly after Eric Rickin turned 39, the panic set in about his impending 40th birthday. Self-described as "risk-averse" and staving off an impending mid-life crisis, Eric put aside thoughts of the stereotypical sports car, and instead picked up his bicycle and decided to put the pedal to the metal in a different way - to benefit the Jewish Family & Children's Servcie of Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill Community Food Pantry.

"Almost turning 40, I had to do something out of my comfort zone," he said. "I wanted to use this opportunity to make my mid-life crisis productive and encourage my friends, family and myself to do a good thing in the community."

As his 40th birthday approaches in September, Eric has focused on training for and completing an upcoming bike ride from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. in 5 days, and raising funds for SHCFP along the way.

"I'd like my ride to be a force for good," Eric said on his blog. "I feel that this is my part in tikkun olam."

"Tikkun olam" is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world" or "healing the world," suggesting a shared responsibility across humanity to help in healing, repairing and transforming the world in each individual's own way.

Eric is passionate about the work and mission of SHCFP, which was also his late grandmother's favorite charitable cause, for providing for those who are hungry in the 15217 zip code, as well as serving Jewish individuals and families throughout Pittsburgh who keep kosher and are in need of food assistance. Continue reading here.
Help for Troubled Teenagers
  
jcca
     
In response to a recent article in The New York Times describing a program that helps teens express their feelings to teachers and mentors as an alternative to conflict, here is a letter from Richard Altman, CEO of Jewish Child Care Association, that was published on the Times website on April 15th. He describes how JCCA's Therapeutic Arts program enables teens to address their emotions through the arts and begin to heal. Read the article here.
Caught in the Middle: The Sandwich Generation
  
jfcs phoenix logo
     
Jewish Family & Children's Service of Phoenix, AZ provides help to members of the "Sandwich Generation" who are caring for an aging parent, while also caring for their own children.

Cathy's story is not uncommon. At age 49, she is caring for her own three teenage children as well as her 84-year-old mother, all while balancing the stresses associated with being an elementary school teacher. Cathy* is part of the sandwich generation; those who are both raising children and caring for an aging parent.

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 1 out of every 8 Americans ages 40 to 60 is like Cathy. And in addition, another 7 to 10 million adults are caring for their aging parents, many from a long distance.

JFCS has been providing care to seniors in need since its inception 77 years ago. The agency offers an array of services under its Older Adult Services umbrella, including behavioral health counseling, in-home counseling and case management services, home care and care management, as well as the Center for Senior Enrichment.

Ellie Schwartzberg, vice president of Older Adult Services and Jewish Community Services, has focused on serving the senior and Jewish populations during her entire 33-year career with JFCS.

Today, some of her division's focus includes helping members of the sandwich generation care for their aging parents, which benefits both the adult child's family and the older adult.

"Very often the adult child has no idea of how to go about helping his or her parent," Schwartzberg says. "They are often brought into a difficult situation and don't know where to begin. That's when we are able to step in and offer education, information and referral sources to support them in their journey, as well as counseling, case management and home care."

In Cathy's case, the passing of her father left her mother, Mary, at home alone. When she started to show signs of dementia, the family agreed that she needed additional support and Cathy moved mom into her home. Continue reading here.
Calls & Webinars

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 and Health Disparities  April 29th, 2pm ET
REGISTER HERE     

 

What We've Learned, and What's Next
April 30th, 2pm ET
REGISTER HERE   

 

Facebook Goes Green: Using Social Media for Environmental Advocacy
May 1st, 1pm ET
REGISTER HERE  

 

Tour of HealthCare.gov
May 2nd, 1pm ET
REGISTER HERE 

 

It's Complicated: Understanding and Managing Relationships As a Breast Cancer Survivor
May 7th, 8pm ET
REGISTER HERE 

 

How Senior Friendly is Your Website?
May 9th, 1:30pm ET
REGISTER HERE   

 

Make the Call, Don't Miss A Beat!
May 16th, 12pm ET
REGISTER HERE

The Health Care Law 101
May 23rd, 2pm ET
REGISTER HERE  

Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
Join Our Mailing List

April 26, 2013 
About AJFCA | News
Find a Service Near You
Members | Jewish Connection
Annual Conference | Job Postings
  website picture-senior female
  
D'Var Torah

Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO

I am writing this from Boston, where I have had a few days to speak with people who have experienced the unimaginable. The portion of Boylston Street that was the site of the bombings was just reopened to the public. Very public funerals have occurred in the last several days, and the vagaries of death are part of the community conversation. But more often, there is talk of resilience and strength, of standing "Boston Strong."

Coincidentally, I have been reading Erica Brown's new book "Happier Endings, A Meditation on Life and Death." Erica's beautiful book considers the business and spiritual aspects of death, it is informative and inspirational, but most of all it is a guide to living better lives in the reflection of what we know (although do not like to dwell upon) is a universal stage in our journeys.

In this week's parashah, Emor, we find instructions to the priests on how they are to relate to dead persons. Of interest, is the limited and restricted exposure the priests are permitted to have with the dead. Much more attention is paid in this parashah and elsewhere on how the priests are to conduct their lives and, by example, affirm the covenantal relationship for the people. The Torah is a guide for living, even when it recognizes death.

There is much to learn from Erica Brown's book, from the personal stories she shares, the descriptions of how different religions sanctify and experience death, and the questions it raises for each of us in the way we consider our relationship to death and dying. Most of all, we are prompted to think about not only those we are close to who may be approaching death, but how we can live our lives in a manner that can make our own ultimate endings more comforting for ourselves and those we love, and be resilient and strong.

Shabbat Shalom.
2013 AJFCA Annual Conference
2013 AJFCA AC logo
Don't miss your chance to join your colleagues in Phoenix for AJFCA's amazing 41st Annual Conference at the discounted rate of $520.  Registrations made after April 30th will begin at $570. REGISTER.
SNAP 
AJFCA has signed a letter to Congress opposing cuts to ajfca logo-resizedSNAP in the Farm Bill. This letter explains how the SNAP program reaches the neediest Americans, helps in times of disaster and emergency, and stimulates local economies. To read the text of the letter, click here.
Inclusive Philanthropy    
"The day is short, the task is great and the master is urgent" (Chapters of the Fathers, 2:20)ejewish philanthropy
 
Thousands of people and hundreds of Jewish organizations are dedicated to working towards the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our communities. US government statistics show that 20% of the US population has some form of disability. This is a population we are all connected to. Continue reading here.
JFNA: Autism, And Awareness Month, An Opportunity To Live Jewish Values
April is Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, an oppjfna logoortunity for all Americans to commit to supporting people with autism spectrum disorders, ensure they are afforded opportunities to reach their full potential, and appreciate the contributions individuals on the autism spectrum make to our families, communities and society. Continue reading here
Innovations in Benefits Access: A Year of Successinnovations ncoa
Last year, the Center for Benefits funded six community-based  organizations to pilot innovative approaches to increasing benefits enrollment among low-income people with Medicare. From improving follow-up with clients to reaching underserved populations, these grantees helped 4,800 individuals to access benefits. The National Council on Aging's new infographic illustrates some of the populations served by these grants. Continue reading here.
A Meaningful Mother's Day Gift for Loved Ones and Women in Need mothers day - jwi
Join Jewish Women International (JWI) in making Mother's Day special for some of the 35,000 women and children spending Mother's Day displaced from their homes in domestic violence shelters. Each of these survivors of violence needs and deserves our support, and we can make a difference for them while we celebrate the women we love. JWI's Mother's Day Flower Project lets you give a gift that honors everything Mom has given you -- and the person you have become because of it. Learn how to help here.
Integrity in the Boardroom:  What Does it Really Mean?
Integrity is critical to an organization's culture and a requirement for effective dynamics in the boardroom. In view of recent headlines, a valid question is:  What is integrity? Merriam-Webster defines integrity as "firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values." This, in turn, raises the question:  Whose values? Mine? The organization's? Society's? All of these? Continue reading here.
Forget The Mission Statement. What's Your Mission Question? 
Your mission statement is the gate to your organization. Has your board ever discussed what the driving force actually is behind your mission? Start with these questions. fast company
  1. Why are we here in the first place?
  2. What does the world need most that we are uniquely able to provide?
  3. What are we willing to sacrifice?
  4. What matters more than money?
  5. Are we all on this mission together?

Continue reading here.  

Responding to a Letter of Rejection: Priorities, Process, Procedure and Politics 
This week Stephen Donshik received a phone call from a colleague who wanted my advice about how to respond to a grant rejection letter he had received from a foundation. He was assisting a nonprofit organization in preparing a proposal seeking funding for an innovative program reaching out to victims of family violence. After the proposal was rejected he dashejp full logoed off a letter to the director of the foundation complaining about the funding process, and he wanted to know what Donshik thought he should do next. Continue reading here.
Re-imagining Your Annual Report
It's the time of year when you're packaging up your annual reports for 2012.  Before you move forward with the same approach as last year, it's worth asking:  
  • Who is the audience?
  • What do you need to accomplish with this report?
  • Should we question the old approach? 
Great Fundraising
"What differentiates great fundraising from the average, good or poor?" "What are the factors that allow an organisation to double, treble or even quadruple its income?"

These are the questions Professors Adrian Sargeant and Jen Shang set out to answer in a year-long study aptly titled: Great Fundraising. 'Great Fundraising' is defined not in absolute money terms but in terms of massive growth. Continue reading here.
9 Ways to Rock Social Media: Free Checklist
Is your organization taking full advantage of social media? Nonprofits can use the social Web to engage supporters and amplify their messages? Need some tips? Network for Good's free checklist will help you improve your nonprofit social media strategy.    
  1. Offer easy ways to share your content via social media.
  2. Feature links to your social media profiles on your website.
  3. Include social sharing links on your donation thank you page.
  4. Include social sharing links and links to your social media profiles in your newsletter and email outreach.
  5. Choose a Facebook cover photo or Twitter background image that represents your brand and signifies the impact of donor support.
  6. Integrate social media outreach in your overall marketing calendar.
  7. Listen for and respond to questions about your cause.
  8. Be a go-to resource for news and information about your cause by sharing great content.
  9. Have a social media policy and crisis communication plan in place. 
The Power of Thank You. Instantly Accessible Video
Two fundraising professionals and a board member share how they go about saying "thank you" in fun and unique ways. Watch here.
It's Time For A New Kind of Nonprofit Leader
Recently Nell Edington, president of Social Velocity spoke to a group of nonprofit leaders about 5 Nonprofits Trends to Watch in 2013 and a woman stood up and said "These trends are all well and good, but we need to talk about the fact that the money just isn't there anymore. We are having to compete with more organizations for much less available funding. We need solutions to that." Continue reading here.
Infographics for Outreach, Advocacy, and Marketing: From Data to Design
Everybody loves infographics, right? You see them in your Facebook feed getting "likes" and being passed around people's networks of friends. They're a great way to get information about your organization or your mission out there--at least, when they're done right.

But how do you make them, and how do you make them right? And what exactly are they--and what does your organization need to know about them? Idealware set out to answer those questions, and today they're pleased to release, Infographics for Outreach, Advocacy and Marketing: From Data to Design.
Show the Value in Jewish Community Before Sending the Bill   
At Big Tent Judaism/Jewish Outreach Institute, they often discuss the value of participating in the Jewish community. In other words, how do I personally benefit from being a Jew or from participating in Jewish communal life? But why do I have to pay for it before I understand its benefit and value? Thanks to social media aejewish philanthropynd other free platforms like Facebook, we have been socialized in such as way as to expect that we no longer have to pay entrance fees to join community. Even the new gold standard of Birthright Israel is free. So I expect that it shouldn't be necessary to pay membership dues to worship or join a JCC until I have determined its personal benefit. (Perhaps we need to do better helping people to understand such a benefit beforehand in any case.) Continue reading here.
Cut Costs, not Corners: An Electronic Record that Pays for Itself
AJFCA encourages member agencies to attend this free webinar offered by our newest Partner Foothold Technology, a leading provider of web-based software developed specifically for human services organizations.
Foothold Technology
Cut Costs, not Corners: An Electronic Record that Pays for Itself
If you're among the hundreds of community-based providers looking to transition to electronic record-keeping without breaking the bank, you cannot afford to miss this webinar. Foothold's software, AWARDS, has helped more than 600 behavioral health and human service agencies track their services and bill more accurately, resulting in increased revenue and a higher quality of care. Continue reading here.

Cut Costs, not Corners: An Electronic Record that Pays for Itself
Wednesday, May 1st, 2:00pm EDT
REGISTER HERE
Data Driven - Path Focused
Transform How You Manage Cases, Track Clients and Improve Outcomes with FAMCare Pathways
Today agencies are struggling with more clients entering the system and less funding available to provide adequate services for all. In order to be truly effective - technology tools need to help casewGlobal Vision Techorkers streamline case management, not hamper their productivity. Agencies need better data collection tools, faster access to information and solid reporting to keep their funders happy and caseworker morale high. In this 60 minute webinar discover why FAMCare Pathways is transforming how agencies track their programs and services; allowing them to be more productive and accountable than ever before. Continue reading here.
 
Data Driven - Path Focused
Wednesday, May 1st, 3pm ET - REGISTER HERE
Thursday, May 2nd, 3pm ET - REGISTER HERE
Inclusion training for teachers, camp counselors, coaches, clergy, therapists and family members who work or live with children with disabilities
inclusion
May 2nd, 9am-4pm 
Temple Beth Ami
14330 Travilah Road
Donate SponsorsSupport AJFCA :: JFNA :: Accreditations
Contact Us :: Transparency :: Privacy Policy