AJFCA Newsletter
In This Issue
ADVOCACY
AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
AJFCA MEMBER BENEFITS
BOARD RESOURCES
COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
PARTNERS/SPONSORS
VOLUNTEERS/YOUNG ADULTS
AJFCA Links
AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS

Supporting Independence at JFCS Atlanta

  
This real story focuses on the Zimmerman-Horowitz Independent Living Program and
shows how Jewish Family & Children's Services of Atlanta strengthens the lives of individuals and families in our community.

The Zimmerman-Horowitz Independent Living Program (Z-H ILP) is a highly individualized, person-centered supportive living program that enables people with disabilities to live as independently as possible.
The Z-H ILP staff takes the time to get to know each of the individuals we support in order to evaluate his or her needs and abilities. Clients receive training in money management, cooking, cleaning, household management, laundry, social skills and other areas. Transportation is included as part of this service.

Learn More About The Zimmerman-Horowitz Independent Living Program here.
Supporting Independence at JFS Houston

JFS Houston
       
Project Shalom is designed for adults who have ongoing mental health needs who would benefit from a structured social group. Participants have a persistent and pervasive mental health issue that could result in difficulty maintaining employment, but many live independently. The group members benefit from activities that are more focused on promoting social engagement than on therapeutic results, thus decreasing isolation and allowing participants to maintain stability in their lives.



Participants meet weekly at Jewish Family Service of Houston and enjoy a hot kosher lunch followed by an interactive or hands-on activity such as jewelry making or arts and crafts projects, as well as field trips to cultural events in the community. The program has a community nurse who is available to assist with medication management, if necessary. Through the program, members celebrate holidays and other events together creating a sense of friendship and family.
 
This Jewish Family Service program has been active for twenty years.  A licensed  clinician directs and facilitates the group and maintains contact with participants to assess their gain from the program.  
JFS Dallas Announces the Inaugural Corporate Sports Challenge

JFS Dallas
       
Three hundred representatives of local businesses will converge on Friday, September 19th for the inaugural Corporate Sports Challenge, a day of friendly competition benefiting Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas. The event will be held at Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, home of FC Dallas. The Corporate Sports Challenge is a fun-­-filled community event that encourages businesses to promote wellness and
team building. Participating companies will register their team(s) of five men and five women to compete with teams from other organizations in sporting activities such as relay races and tug-­-of-­-war. Team members may include company
employees (from hourly workers to the executive suite), as well as their friends and family members.   
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.

 
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July 11, 2014 
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D'Var Torah

Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO

Like most of you, I have been following with intense interest the situation in Israel. A few days ago, I downloaded the Red Alert app for my iPad. Throughout the day and night, I have been listening to the pings that indicate another rocket has been launched from Gaza into Israel. I see the list of targets - Beersheva, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Jerusalem, Sderot, Tel Aviv, and too many more - and think about my friends who are being jolted from their daily routines and running for the nearest bomb shelter. When will the terror attacks cease? Where is the hope for peace?

This week's parashah, Pinchas, is a continuation of the trials and tribulations of the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. Pinchas acts to halt the sinful influence of the Moabites, albeit with violence. A census of the tribes is taken for the purposes of establishing inheritance rules that will govern when the Israelites are property owners in their new home, and women are given a right of inheritance in the absence of male heirs. Perhaps most importantly, when Moses recognizes that he will not be joining the people in their new home of Israel and asks God who the new leader will be, God identifies Joshua as the man who will succeed Moses. Joshua is chosen because he is a man with ruach, "a man in whom the spirit is," an inspired man. He has proven himself as a man of faith and determination - he was one of the two spies who gave a positive report - and he has demonstrated a passion for the people, for God, and for the land of Israel as the permanent home of the Jewish people.

With the grave dangers facing Israel today, we pray for more Joshuas. We look for men and women with ruach who are "inspired," and can lead by example and find the path to peace for all of Israel.

May you all have a peaceful and passionate Shabbat.
ADVOCACY
Obama Seeks Nearly $4 Billion for Immigration  Crisis
President Obama is requesting almost $4 billion in emergency funding from Congress to confront an immigration crisis from a wave of unaccompanied children surging across the southern border of the United States, White House officials said Tuesday. Continue reading here.

Please let Shelley Rood know if your agency is engaged in refugee resettlement.  It is our understanding that part of this funding would go to maintain existing refugee resettlement work.
AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
5 Tips to Start Your Nonprofit Thought Leadership Plan  ejp full logo
Every so often, change makers and nonprofit leaders are unsure about how to activate the most powerful resource they have - their intellectual capital. Click here to start your nonprofit thought leadership plan.
U.S. Giving in 2013 Rose Significantly but Challenges Persist 
The numbers are out today and we now have comprehensive, reliable 2013 data about American philanthropy, painting a picture in broad brush strokes of how Americans gave and what kinds of causes donors supported. Measured as whole, the nonprofit community should be mildly encouraged by the results of the Giving USA 2014 Annual Report on Philanthropy. Although given our nation's history and culture of generosity, the report suggests that we could and should be doing even better. Learn more here.
AJFCA MEMBER BENEFITS
AmeriCorps VISTA Leaders Wanted
AJFCA is recruiting a VISTA Leader to join us in our Baltimore office beginning August 30th (or earlier, if available) to work on a national project building capacity in 12 select agencies to serve Holocaust survivors (Click here to read more about the complete project.) A key requirement for VISTA Leaders is at least one previous year of VISTA service, so please let us know if you have anyone who meets this requirement. Applications will be accepted through July 14th. CNCS Listing. Idealist Listing. Contact Jennie or Liz if you have any promising candidates.
Annual Foundation Center Renewal foundation center
AJFCA will be renewing the annual Foundation Center subscription. If you are interested please email Zahava by Friday, July 18th. For more information regarding the Foundation Center click here or contact Megan.
AJFCA Geriatric Care Management Call
AJFCA Older Adult Service professionals are invited to share their experiences, ideas and issues regarding the planning and delivery of Geriatric Care Management services during a group discussion that will focus on measuring outcomes and determining early access entry points to bring clients into services.

AJFCA Geriatric Care Management Discussion Call
Wednesday, July 16th, 3pm ET - REGISTER HERE
Communications/Development/Marketing Call ajfca logo-resized
Are you looking for new ideas and programs to help raise funds and awareness for your agency? Join AJFCA member agency communications, development and marketing professionals for an updates and ideas exchange. To make the most of our time please send Megan 1-2 bullets for discussion. The call will conclude with a virtual tour of the new AJFCA Marketing Bank.

Updates & Ideas Exchange
Thursday, July 17th, 2pm ET - REGISTER HERE
Facilitator:  Alison Berman, Fund Development Director, Collat JFS (Birmingham)
BOARD RESOURCES
Boards and Magical Thinking nonprofit quarterly
As a consultant to nonprofits in situations of instability or turnaround, Kathy Ridge has spent considerable time studying precisely how and at what point nonprofits begin to get in trouble. She has backtracked the specific history of several nonprofit case studies to identify where a wrong turn was taken. Click here to learn where the wrong turn was taken.
COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
Informing Ourselves: The 2014 Social Media Marketing Report
A good set of benchmarking data informs future social media marketing decisions and helps us to rethink others. Social Media Examiner recently released the 2014 Social Media Marketing Report detailing how 3,025 business marketing professionals conduct social media marketing activities. Continue reading here.
1 in 8 American Donors has Participated in a Giving Circle
One in eight American donors has participated in a giving circle - nearly half of them under the age of 40 - and participation in a giving circle can both strengthen communal identity and expand philanthropic reach. These are some of the findings of the newly issued report Connected to Give: Community Circles, which combines quantitative and qualitative data to bring new insight to the philanthropic phenomenon of giving circles. Click here to learn more about giving circles.
PARTNERS/SPONSORS
Boost Fundraising Results through Branded Web Portal Sales
AJFCA is pleased to announce a partnership with REMCAP, 2014 AJFCA Annual Conference sponsor. The REMCAP Buying Portal, powered by Deem, provides a web-based buying portal for not-for-profit organizations that serves as a source for donations. AJFCA member agencies and local community donors and supporters sign on to use the portal to make purchases for home, leisure, travel or business needs. A portion of the sales value made by users is transferred to the local AJFCA member agency as a donation. The buying portal is branded with your agency's logo. Users make their purchases and in the settlement process REMCAP's system redirects funds to your organization. You determine the level of promotion to your community that you wish to generate. The result is a lasting, ongoing source of funds for your organization with no start-up or ongoing costs to participate for agencies or users.

Boost Fundraising Results through Branded Web Portal Sales
Thursday, July 17th, 4pm ET - REGISTER HERE
VOLUNTEERS/YOUNG ADULTS
Millennials on a Mission: Idealism, Impact, network for goodInnovation 
During this year's Millennial Impact Forum (also known as MCON), thousands of leaders in philanthropy, social enterprise, and technology joined together for two days of inspiration from our next generation of leaders. MCON takes place on the heels of the release of the Millennial Impact Report, an annual look at the Millennial generation and the ground they are staking out as they mature into adulthood. Learn more here.
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