AJFCA Newsletter
In This Issue
ADVOCACY
AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
BOARD RESOURCES
COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
PARTNERS/SPONSORS
AJFCA Links
Agency Highlights

JCS Baltimore Featured on WMAR-TV 

jcs baltimore   
One of Jewish Community Services of Baltimore's programs was featured on WMAR-TV on Friday, May 23rd. As adults we all know that 'Everyone Counts', but sometimes children need to be reminded. On May 23rd at 11pm on ABC2, Jamie Costello shared the story of JCS Baltimore's dynamic anti-bullying program, Everyone Counts, developed by JCS Health Educator Susan Kurlander. ABC2 followed JCS into a classroom at Chatsworth Elementary to see how JCS Prevention Education is helping young children get started down the right path.
New AgeWell Rides Service Keeps Community's Seniors on the Go 

jfcs pittsburgh
 
Jewish Family & Children's Services of Pittsburgh's newly-launched AgeWell Rides service is keeping Pittsburgh's older adults as active and independent as possible.



AgeWell Rides is a new volunteer transportation service offered by AgeWell Pittsburgh through JF&CS, in collaboration with Repair the World: Pittsburgh.



AgeWell Rides matches local volunteer drivers with seniors who do not or cannot drive and need reliable transportation to go to medical appointments, grocery shopping or socialize in the community. Continue reading here.
JFS Houston Receives Joan Alexander Chesed Award

JFS Houston
 
Linda L. Burger, CEO of Jewish Family Service of Houston, will be the recipient of the prestigious 2014 Joan Alexander Chesed Award during the agency's annual Reel Hope...A Night at the Movies on June 1st. The theme of the evening, The World Will Be Built On Kindness...Olam Chesed Yibaneh, will be repeated as Joan Alexander, the namesake of the award, and Mark Brookner, JFS Treasurer, present the Chesed award to the honoree.
 More than 600 guests attended the movie night and delighted with a video about Linda's 36 years of devoted service to the Houston Jewish community...the last eight of which were her service as CEO of JFS.  

 

Among the guests for the evening will be Lee Sherman, AJFCA President and CEO, as well as Larry Reader of Houston, AJFCA President-Elect of the Board and a Past President of JFS Houston.
Continue reading here.
Arizona Public Service (APS) Donates $250K to JFCS Phoenix for New Catalina Health Center

jfcs phoenix logo 
 
Arizona Public Service (APS) recently announced a $250,000 lead gift to Jewish Family & Children's Service of Phoenix. These funds will go toward the purchase and build-out of JFCS' Catalina Health Center, a new 24,000 square foot state-of-the-art integrated primary medical and behavioral health clinic.
The new Catalina Health Center will serve 8,500 children, adolescents, and adults. Through innovative technologies, therapies, and integrated treatment solutions, the new Catalina Health Center will help children and families that are dealing with trauma, substance abuse, and other complex mental and physical health issues. Continue reading here.
JCFS Director of Programs Wins Kesher Award

 
 
The State of Israel Bonds Kesher Award is presented each year at the Golda Meir Circle Luncheon to remarkable role models in the community who demonstrate an unbreakable Kesher (connection) to the State of Israel and the Jewish people.



One of this year's three recipients is Jewish Family & Child Services of Winnipeg's own Director of Programs, Wendy Wolfman. Learn more here.
Calls & Webinars
 
Visit  AJFCA's Calendar
to learn more about free calls and webinars. For more information login to the Members section of the AJFCA website, followed by Webinars. Contact Megan at 410-843-7327 with questions.

The Right to Vote, the Power to Decide
May 28th, 2pm ET
REGISTER HERE



An Introduction to SafeLink
June 17th, 1pm  ET
Phone:  888-453-4395
Passcode:  2022632930
REGISTER HERE

safelink
Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
Join Our Mailing List
 
May 30, 2014 
About AJFCA | News
Find a Service Near You
Members | Jewish Connection
Annual Conference | Job Postings
     kids     
  
D'Var Torah
Lee I. Sherman
President & CEO

A few days ago, a non-Jewish colleague was trying to schedule a meeting with me and he asked about dates next week. I mentioned that I would not be working on June 4 and 5 because it was Shavuot. He asked me about the purpose of the holiday and I related a few of the basics: one of the three agricultural holidays and the offering of the first fruits, the receipt of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, all night study and the eating of cheesecake. We moved on to looking for other dates for our meeting, but I kept thinking about the meaning of Shavuot in our modern day Jewish calendar.

Growing up, I think Shavuot got short shrift in my Hebrew school education. It was at the end of the school year, maybe even after classes actually concluded. Other than my Confirmation ceremony (a modern Shavuot "tradition" in some synagogues), I do not recall any particular recognition of the holiday. Yet, certainly the occasion that marks the giving of Torah to the Jewish people is of tremendous significance, whether you believe it was inspired or revealed, as it signifies the covenant of Jews with God, which continues to bind us as a people to this day. And, we also read the Book of Ruth on Shavuot, the story of a strong woman and the representative "convert" to Judaism, thus celebrating the spirit of inclusiveness that belongs as a critical component of all Jewish communities.

So, as our Jewish communal organizations take some time off next week, and we have to find another date for all those meetings, it is a great opportunity to think about those things that bind us together as a people and all the ways that we can be even more inclusive, ensuring that each person has the opportunity to truly find a place in our community.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Shavuot Sameach.
ADVOCACY
Ensuring a Home for Those with Disabilities
Eighteen states now meet the 80 percent "Home-like Setting" standard for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD)--the national average is 77 percent--according to United Cerebral Palsy's 2014 Case for Inclusion. This means that at least 80 percent of all individuals with ID/DD in those states are served in settings such as their own home, family foster care or small group settings like shared apartments with fewer than three residents.
AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
Supporting "Field-Building" Organizations ejp full logo
Conversations on funder collaboration have gained momentum. Challenges of and opportunities for collaboration between local and national funders were discussed at the 2013 Jewish Funders Network (JFN) conference. With a desire to maintain the dialogue, JFN coordinated a series of articles on the interactions between local and national funders called "Local and National Funders: The Launch of a Conversation." In turn, this exchange caught the attention of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) and led to a joint JFN/GEO webinar in January 2014: The Promise and Pitfalls of Local and National Funder Collaborations. Continue reading here.
Using Social Networks to Reach Thought Leaders chronicile of philanthropy
What is your organization's fastest path to reach influential people in your community? Many fundraisers once tried to answer this question by flipping through Rolodexes and brainstorming connections, but more are now using tools that analyze real-world social networks and identify shared connections with community leaders. Listen to the podcast here.
Three Questions to Ask Before You Finalize big duckThat Fiscal Year Budget
It's May! Flowers are blooming, grass is growing, and... boards are approving budgets for organizations whose fiscal year begins July 1!  Before this magical moment slips away into the haze of summer, consider these three questions:
  1. Have we budgeted for smaller projects that will help us move toward bigger projects?
  2. Have we budgeted adequately for website updates?
  3. Have we budgeted for help where we need it most? 
AJFCA MEMBER BENEFITS
AJFCA Welcomes Zahava Klein as Databas e/Office Assistant 
AJFCA is pleased to announce our newest staff member, Zahava Klein, who started May 12th as our Database/Office Assistant. Zahava comes to AJFCA with administrative and database experience and great knowledge of the Jewish community. She will manage AJFCA's data, records, invoicing and correspondence and promises excellent service to all our members. Please join us in welcoming Zahava to the AJFCA family.
Residential Alternatives for Adults with Disabilities Survey ajfca logo-resized
Does your agency provide residential services to individuals with disabilities? Is there an organization in your community that you refer individuals and families to for residential services? The National Task Force on Residential Alternatives for Adults with Disabilities in the Jewish Community is looking to learn more about the residential services our network provides, partners with, or refers to.

Please fill out the survey here. Feel free to forward the link to others or contact Liz about other service providers.
AJFCA Marketing Bank 

AJFCA is pleased to announce the Marketing Bank, a new and complimentary member benefit. The Marketing Bank, located in the Member Resources section of the AJFCA website, was designed to house shareable assets. Uploaded assets include: images (jpg, .jpeg, .gif), files (pdf, .doc, .docx), and video urls. Submissions will require the accompaniment of a full name, email address, category, title and brief description. Join Megan for a brief call on Tuesday, June 3rd at 2pm ET to discuss the Marketing Bank in more detail. Email Zahava for call in information.

Executive Transition Workshops national human servcies assembly logo
The National Human Services Assembly is partnering with Raffa/Transition Guides on a series of high-intensity workshops for individuals at the executive level thinking about or planning for retirement and executive transition. These sessions are ideally suited for executive directors of local nonprofit organizations and CEOs of national organizations. Learn more here.
BOARD RESOURCES
Boards Cannot Be Sacred, Staff Cannot Be Saints, and Founders Should Never Be Martyrs NPQ
The nonprofit sector, and specifically the members of boards, and members of staff, and founders and executive directors, must be much more willing to say, "Wow, I didn't know that." Or, "Hmm, that seems to be a better way of doing this." Or, "Yes, I am out of my element here, and I have a lot to learn." Or the almost never heard "Yes, I started this, and it's time for me to hand it off and move forward." More willing, that is, to be fallible, vulnerable, and open to learning. Read more here.
COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
Using Cloud Technology in Storytelling NTEN
Storybanking, takes storytelling one step further. It is a process of identifying and organizing volunteers who are willing to share their own stories in their own words, through interviews with media, testimonies before Congress, or speeches at public events. To do it right, it requires an organizational culture and technical infrastructure to collect and catalogue stories so that the right storyteller can be matched with the right opportunity at the right time. Read more here.
Mapping the Scary Social Innovation Process
Most people who have tried to do something new in the social sphere - in other words, social innovators - find that there is a roller coaster ride you must take to accomplish your goal (or not) that produces thrills and spills and moments of deep exhilaration and despair. Take a look at David Brown's diagram mapping the social innovation process.
PARTNERS/SPONSORS
COA Face-to-Face Training Schedule  coa
COA's fall dates for classroom trainings are now available. The NYC training in December always fills up quickly. To sign up visit http://coa.force.com/coasite/eventsearch and conduct a keyword search for the name of the training.



Donate SponsorsSupport AJFCA :: JFNA :: Accreditations
Contact Us :: Transparency :: Privacy Policy