VISTA SPOTLIGHT
My name is Natasha Torres and I am an AmeriCorps VISTA serving at Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services in Boca Raton, FL. My agency's primary goal was for me to help sustain programs that have recently been established for our Holocaust Survivor clients. I work with 4 social workers who provide services to over 300 Holocaust survivors in our catch man area. Each is given a program to coordinate. I help sustain, organize, and improve these alongside them.
I work on the development of our Dental Assistance program for Survivors of the Holocaust. We launched DASH this year, partnering with dentists in our community who are willing to provide pro-bono services to our Holocaust survivor clients. In one year our agency has recruited 17 dentists and has saved over $50,000 in pro-bono services.
As I've settled into this agency I became further involved in our socialization programs for our survivors. Socialization is very important to our survivors; many of them constantly mention looking forward to our next socialization event, even while leaving from one. It makes us realize how important it is for their quality of life to be given opportunities to socialize with one another as well as with other members of our community. As a result, our agency has made it a priority to provide numerous socialization events alongside The Jewish Federation and Donna Klein Jewish Academy. We have developed programs such as From March to Miriam, connecting our Holocaust survivor clients to High School students with the purpose of strengthening the bond between different generations, while promoting culture and education. We also host our Nosh & Nachas, a quarterly, mini Café Europa for Holocaust survivor clients of our agency to eat and schmooze. In addition to our Nosh & Nachas, we manage numerous other events with local synagogues and schools in order to educate, socialize, and perform mitzvoth between our holocaust survivors and our community.
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Senior Resource Connect - AJFCA's New Older Adult Services Website  AJFCA recently launched our new older adult services website, Senior Resource Connect. The website aims to leverage the expertise of Jewish family services agencies assisting older adults in the community, increase referrals to member agency programs, streamline referrals between agencies, and act as an information hub on all matters of senior services. Has your agency gotten involved? Don't miss the chance to be listed as a member on this new platform. Make sure we have your information and contribute your resources for older adults and their caregivers to the site by emailing Liz.
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Apricot Essentials: A Platform for Small (D&E size) Agencies  JFS Canton and JFS Lehigh Valley
both say Apricot Software has made an impressive difference for their organizations. Apricot is a unique data and case management system designed to manage workflow, measure outcomes, and prepare reports. Developed by a nonprofit professional, Apricot is extremely secure and flexible for all size organizations. The software continues to level the playing field between those running on a shoe-string budget and others with considerably greater resources. Click here to learn more.
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Please add and/or update AJFCA's logo on your agency website.
Contact Megan with questions.
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Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
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D'Var Torah
Lee I. Sherman
Sometimes, I am deeply moved or simply "blown away" by something I read. Like many of you, that happened to me this week when I read Sheryl Sandberg's reflections on the end of the sh'loshim period (first 30 days) from the death of her husband, Dave Goldberg. Sandberg, COO of Facebook and author of Lean In, writes powerfully and poetically about this time of grief and her interactions with people who want to be comforting, but sometimes maybe are not. I cannot think of anything better to share this week, as a statement of Jewish and human values and relationships, so I urge you to take the time to read all of her essay, begun here and linked below. Shabbat Shalom to all.
"I have lived thirty years in these thirty days. I am thirty years sadder. I feel like I am thirty years wiser. While the experience of grief is profoundly personal, the bravery of those who have shared their own experiences has helped pull me through. Some who opened their hearts were my closest friends. Others were total strangers who have shared wisdom and advice publicly. So I am sharing what I have learned in the hope that it helps someone else. In the hope that there can be some meaning from this tragedy. Continue reading here.
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Tears of Sorrow, Seeds of Hope - Infertility and  Pregnancy Loss
AJFCA is pleased to offer Tears of Sorrow, Seeds of Hope at the discounted rate of $4. This book, written by Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, explores infertility and pregnancy loss from a Jewish perspective. Tears of Sorrow, Seeds of Hope has proven to be a powerful tool. Click here to order copies for your agency.
"To those who have struggled with issues of infertility and with the ardent desire for children . . . this book offers guidance and consolation in the form of prayer, poetry, and reflections which will enrich the lives of any seeking soul, and will offer comfort to those in pain." -Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, dean, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies
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2015 White House Conference on Aging 
The 2015 White House Conference on Aging will be held on July 13th. The conference will bring together government officials, members of the public, caregivers, older Americans, business leaders, and community leaders to discuss a vision for aging in the next decade. Click here to learn more.
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Celebrating WITH Pride: Using LGBT Pride Month to Strengthen Your Allyhood 
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people, and their Allies, all across the country celebrate LGBTQ Pride in June. Pride events can be a great way for Jewish family and children's services agencies to show their solidarity with LGBTQ individuals within their communities! Using our shared Jewish values as a framework, Keshet will start the conversation by highlighting the importance of LGBTQ inclusion within a Jewish context.
Celebrating WITH Pride
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Emerging Adulthood: Successful Transitioning from School to the Adult Community 
Deborah Fisher, Strategic Change Consultant at Jewish Foundation for Group Homes, will present on the elements of a program that promote transitions of young adults with disabilities from the safety and familiarity of their schools to the adult community. The Meaningful Opportunities for Successful Transitions (MOST™) program that addresses the growing needs of adults who either do not fit into existing programs, or who preferred to take time to focus on a particular skill or skills will be highlighted.
Emerging Adulthood
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AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
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Pros and Cons for Charities of Adopting Salary Ratios
High salaries in the third sector have come under scrutiny recently, but some charities have ratios in place to bring transparency to their pay policies and ensure that what their leaders earn is not out of proportion to what the rest of the staff are paid. Learn more here. |
Domestic Violence Professionals Fly In  Member Agency Domestic Violence Professionals are invited to attend AJFCA's Domestic Violence Professionals Fly In on Sunday, August 9th & Monday, August 10th at Jewish Child & Family Services of Chicago. Member agency domestic violence professionals will discuss engaging Jewish Institutions in education and policy development, reaching out to the Orthodox community, long term outcomes and clinical and community work. There will be time for networking and facilitated discussions on key topics. We hope you will join your colleagues for this informative and energizing day. Learn more here.
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Midwest Older Adult Services Meeting
Member Agency Senior Service Professionals are invited to attend AJFCA's Midwest Older Adult Services Meeting on August 30th & 31st at Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit. Registration to those outside of the Midwest will open on July 1st. Click here to learn more. |
Senior Resource Connect: Planning & Delivery of Older Adult Services
Join AJFCA for this webinar and discussion about our new online platform, Senior Resource Connect. Learn about AJFCA's work to bring older adult services providers from our membership together under one aging services network and see how your agency can benefit from this effort. Member agencies will have the chance to ask questions, provide feedback and discuss how we can effectively get the word out about our new network. Planning & Delivery of Older Adult Services
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Marketing Professionals Webinar: Online Resources & Networking
Many AJFCA marketing professionals find useful tips and information on websites or in online newsletters from experts in Facebook, nonprofit marketing, website traffic, and development. Let's raise our agencies' marketing successes even higher by networking with one another and sharing our favorite and most useful online resources. We'll also explore the AJFCA Marketing Bank.
Online Resources & Networking
Facilitator: Sherry Kaplan, Director of Marketing, JFS Cincinnati
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Refugee and Migrant Sharing Platform  The Red Cross, a 2015 AJFCA Annual Conference sponsor recently launched HumanitarianCommunity.com, an information sharing platform for refugee and migrant programs/organizations. More than 35 organizations actively participate by submitting content they'd like to share with the larger refugee and migrant community. Content can include blogs, newsletters, reports, event information, social media content, volunteer opportunities, etc. Submission are due the second Friday of each month. Subscribe here. Learn more about HumanitarianCommunity.com during a 45-minute conference call designed specifically for AJFCA member agencies. Refugee and Migrant Sharing Platform
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Nonprofit Boards Must Prioritize Learning 
Nonprofit boards should focus on learning because board members play a key role in influencing other nonprofit leaders and being informed can help an organization increase its effectiveness. Read the entire article here. |
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Social Media Content Is Sitting Right in Front of You
Content for your social media channels is sitting right in front of you. Your website, donor appeals, and newsletters are just waiting to be translated into a Facebook post, tweet, or YouTube video. Repurposing content can take some time, but once you get the hang of it, you'll start thinking of ideas to feed your social channels in your sleep. Here are some quick tips and content ideas for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. |
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VOLUNTEERS & YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT
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In Just Five Years, CTeen Movement Attracts Tens of Thousands of Young Jews 
The most recent CTeen national program, held last month, brought together thousands of Jewish young people from around the world to usher in Shabbat by attending regional Shabbatons in their local communities. Read the entire article here. |
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