Spring begins the end of this week but there is still snow outside my window in East Orange and a forecast for more.  It certainly has been a winter for the record books and we are all looking forward to spring.  This is my first letter as Chief Executive Officer at JVS and I am pleased to have the opportunity to share my thoughts about what I have already learned about the agency and some of my ideas to strengthen JVS as we head into a new season.

I began my tenure on January 5, 2015 and it has been a exhilarating initiation.  I am amazed at the dedication of the staff and the number of programs offered at JVS.  As the saying goes, "a little bit of magic happens every day within the four walls of JVS."  I recommend everyone take a tour to see behind the doors of 111 Prospect Street.  There are an unbelievable number of programs with almost 16,000 clients served annually by the agency.  English as a Second Language classes are being taught at a variety of levels; Adult Basic Skills classes are also offered; social skills and job readiness instruction is being provided in the Career Center for Individuals Diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder; and that is just what is happening on the ground floor.  The Émigré Department, Caregiving Companion offices and Corporate Training Services are also found on this floor.  On the first floor you will find the offices of the JVS-Goodwill Career Center for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Job Placement services for people with disabilities and the Skills Training Center houses over 100 individuals with disabilities who are learning new job skills or being evaluated in the short-term evaluation center are also found on this floor.  The clients on the first floor are all under the supervision of Master's level vocational counselors.  Up on the third floor you might find a Tuesday session of Career Counseling workshops or career counselors meeting with unemployed or underemployed clients who have either decided to re-enter the workforce or have been downsized from a job they may have held for 25 years and need to learn new interview skills and job search strategies.

I am so excited to be a part of JVS and hope to add a new vitality and viewpoint to the agency.  I look forward to meeting many of you on May 11th at Taste and Toast, which is being held at the Crystal Plaza in Livingston, if not before.  Feel free to contact me, I would love to talk to you and listen to your thoughts about what JVS means to you.  I am also available to take you on a personal tour of the agency.  I also encourage you to make a donation to help the agency continue to provide needed services to individuals looking to gain financial independence.

In closing, I would like to thank Nancy Fisher and Caren Ford for their combined 55 years of dedication and exceptional service to the agency, especially during the transition period of the last 18 months when the agency was searching for a new Executive Director.   

Addy 

JVS CEO, Addy Bonet (second from right) went to Washington, DC with other members of the MetroWest delegation to celebrate Jewish Disabilities Awareness Day.  They met with staffers in the offices of NJ Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. and Donald Payne. 

Put a smile on your face and ours by using smile.amazon.com when purchasing on the amazon site.  A donation will go directly to JVS from your purchase if you sign-up and designate that JVS is your chosen charity.  This is a win-win...you support JVS, at no cost to you!