Featured Agency
JCFS and JVS Chicago Foster New Alliance
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At the end of July, Roberta Glick, LCPC, NCC, a JVS Chicago Career Counselor, and Rosalie Greenberger, LCSW and Family Life Educator at Jewish Child & Family Services of Chicago will begin a new session of "Staying Motivated in a Tough Job Market," a four week education and support group presented jointly by JVS Chicago and JCFS for 18 years. "Looking for a job takes an enormous amount of emotional energy," said Glick. "The program takes a holistic view of the person and the process the person is going through. It acknowledges the psychological impact of long-term unemployment and provides practical job search and career building support."
This program is one example of the perfect melding of the expertise of JCFS and JVS Chicago to provide services to the community. On July 1st this joint approach became formalized with JCFS and JVS entering into a strategic alliance to provide integrated services. Building on the foundation of each organization, the alliance allows them to provide enhanced comprehensive services to those in need throughout the community. Read more here.
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Agency Highlights
CJFS Birmingham JOY-ride
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The JOY Club at the LJCC has been a staple for seniors for more than 20 years, and has over 100 members. One of the many ways these seniors stay active is to go on outings together around town, particularly the symphony, the ballet, and the Birmingham Museum of Art. While only 15-20 people may choose to go on each outing, it is still a bit difficult to coordinate volunteer drivers and a 5-car caravan to downtown destinations. LJCC Executive Director Betzy Lynch had a great idea . . . for safety and convenience, call on Buz-A-Bus!  Mindy Cohen, Director of Senior Programs at the LJCC, approached Collat Jewish Family Services of Birmingham about a partnership to safely transport JOY Club participants from the J to various places in Birmingham. Before nailing down the business details, they decided to give the idea a "trial run," so plans were made to transport the seniors to the Birmingham Symphony on May 10th. Continue reading here.
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JFCS Louisville and the JCC Provides Opportunity for Children Put into Action Concepts of Mitzvoth and Tikkun Olam
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Happy summer campers are once again collecting food and raising funds for the Jewish Family & Career Services of Louisville Food Pantry during the JCC Summer Camp Caring & Sharing Week. From July 22-26, campers will raise funds with carwashes, dance-a-thons, "Chanukah in July" sales, bake sales and more.  This collaboration between JFCS and the JCC provides an opportunity for children to learn and to put into action the concepts of mitzvoth and Tikkun Olam.
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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.
Media-Smart Youth
July 23rd, 1pm ET REGISTER HERE
Maximizing SNAP Benefits Through the Medical Expense Deduction July 23rd, 2pm ET
REGISTER HERE
Energize Our Families: Parent Program
July 31st, 1pm 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
There have been a number of population studies and surveys of the Jewish community that have demonstrated that parents of young children who attend a Jewish pre-school, day school, Hebrew school, or camp, begin to observe certain Jewish customs and traditions more frequently than they did prior to their children's involvement. This may mean lighting Shabbat candles, hosting or attending a Passover Seder, following Kosher guidelines, or Synagogue attendance on holidays. Many of you may have experienced this in your own lives, that what your children learn at school has an influence on your own interest in keeping and practicing the laws and customs of Judaism. I know this was true in my case.
The Torah is clear that it is our duty to teach our children about the mitzvoth. In this week's parashah, Va-ethannan, after instructing the people to follow God's laws, Moses says "[a]nd make them known to your children and to your children's children." (4:9.) Later in the Torah reading, we find the words of the Shema, which includes the instruction to "impress them upon your children." We all recognize the importance of passing along core values and principles to the next generation, so that they will have the tools to live better and more fulfilling lives.
But, there is another consequence to teaching the next generation. It causes us to live our lives more deeply committed to adhering to the same values and principles. The connection we feel to our Judaism, and I am sure it is true for other religions as well, is strengthened when we are teachers to younger generations. Sounds like a "win-win" to me.
Shabbat Shalom
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Older Adult Programs and Sequestration - How are you affected? 
The AJFCA Legislative Task Force needs your help to make a compelling case to Congress about how sequestration cuts are hurting older adult programs. Please complete this brief survey about the Older Americans Act and sequestration. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have begun marking up the Appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2014, and in addition, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will be marking up the Older Americans Act (OAA) reauthorization bill on July 23rd or July 24th. Please let us know about your agency's use of OAA dollars and how sequestration may be affecting you. If you have any questions, please contact Shelley Rood. We would appreciate your responses by Monday, July 29th. Thank you in advance. |
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AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
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3 Things Philanthropists Can Do To Move Nonprofits Forward
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Can Your Organization Handle Feedback? 
Research suggests that thriving organizations achieve their goals by engaging the staff in meaningful feedback to monitor performance, holding people accountable, growing talent, and creating an atmosphere of respect and continued development. But knowing this and doing this are two different things. Continue reading here. |
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2013 AJFCA Annual Conference Sessions - Webinars
Getting the Right People on the Bus
Tuesday, July 30th - 2pm ET (60 minutes)
Presenters: Perry Ohren, CEO - JFS Detroit
Innovation & Creating: Engaging the Next Generation in Philanthropy
Thursday, August 1st - 1pm ET (60 minutes)
Presenters: Judy Halper, CEO - JFCS Minneapolis
Zoe Stern, Development Associate - JFCS Minneapolis
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Annual Foundation Center Renewal 
AJFCA will be renewing the annual Foundation Center subscription. If you are interested please email Megan by Friday, July 19th. Invoices will be emailed in July. We will be attempting to keep the subscription fee close to this past year's amount of $390. For more information regarding the Foundation Center please contact Megan.
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More Tips to Involve Your Board and Board Members in Fund Development
Now that your board is invested in the prospect of fundraising, here are ten strategies to get them past anxiety and awkwardness and on to the business of reaching out to prospects and donors.
- Create your organization's story together.
- Require every board member to make a personal financial contribution.
- Require that every board member help identify those who might be interested in your organization.
- Require every board member to help nurture relationships with qualified prospects and current donors.
- Board members can call donors to thank them for their gifts.
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How to Improve Nonprofit Board Meetings
The Problem 
For many organizations, board meetings are a problem rather than a solution. For staff, they create anxiety and time-consuming activity to "get ready," and mostly relief when they are finally over. For board members, they are too often seen only as a "duty." Boards can be deeply engaged for episodic decisions, such as a CEO transition, a financial crises, merger, major strategic decisions, etc. Read the proposal here. |
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COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
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How Long Should Content Be?
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7 Ways to Tune Up Your Fundraising this Summer
Here are a few ways you can leverage these quieter days of summer to help make the most of the year-end giving season downstream and avoid last-minute glitches.
- Test your donation landing pages and thank you's.
- Review your presence on Charity Navigator, Wise Giving Alliance, Guidestar, and other sites your most savvy donors might visit.
- Review your website analytics.
- Test for mobile giving on phones and tablets.
 - Practice good list hygiene.
- Build your list now.
- Start planning this year's campaign now.
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Social Media Resources for Nonprofit Communicators
The team here at Network for Good recently released two updated resources on social media: a Social Media Mini Guide for Nonprofits and the Nonprofit Social Media Checklist. You can download both of these resources for free (registration required), and they're focused on practical tips coupled with real examples to help you think about the best way to incorporate social media in your outreach. Check out the resources. |
Foothold Sets Stage for Interoperability with HIE Testing 
Foothold Technology, a 2013 AJFCA Annual Conference sponsor and leading provider of Electronic Health Record (EHR) software, announced that it is testing data exchanges with Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIOs), a type of Health Information Exchange (HIE) being leveraged in New York State. Presently, Foothold is deploying data exchange functionality to connect with a handful of RHIOs that will be test cases for the statewide SHIN-NY RHIO. Continue reading here.
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2013 Millennial Impact Report  Yesterday hundreds of individuals interested in learning how to better engage Millennials joined the online streaming conference MCON13. The 2013 Millenial Impact Report was released as well, now the fourth annual report of its kind. The report provides a guide for organizations to better understand this generation, immerse them in the cause, and maximize the impact of their interest, time, and giving.
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