Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven is collecting school supplies for service recipients. Currently there are 100+ children between the ages of 4-18 in need of supplies for the upcoming school year. Items we are seeking include: New backpacks, two pocket folders; crayons (thick and thin); markers (thick and thin); pre-sharpened pencils; ink pens (blue or black only); One-subject notebooks (wide or college ruled); two+ subject notebooks (wide or college ruled); three ring binders; child safe pencil sharpeners; child safe scissors; glue sticks; erasers; construction paper; and highlighters.
Items can be dropped off at the JFS Food Pantry on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. or the JFS main office, 1440 Whalley Avenue, New Haven during operating hours (Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. or Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.). If you have questions, please contact Sandy Hagan.
Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven Achieves National Accreditation
Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven, Inc. has achieved national accreditation through the New York-based Council on Accreditation (COA). Organizations pursue accreditation to demonstrate the implementation of best practice standards in the field of human services. COA evaluated all aspects of JFSGNH’s programs, services, and administration.
COA accreditation is an objective, independent, and reliable validation of an agency’s performance. The COA accreditation process involves a detailed review and analysis of an organization’s administration, management, and service delivery functions against international standards of best practice. The standards driving accreditation ensure that services are well-coordinated, culturally competent, evidence-based, outcomes-oriented, and provided by a skilled and supported workforce. COA accreditation demonstrates accountability in the management of resources, sets standardized best practice thresholds for service and administration, and increases organizational capacity and accountability by creating a framework for ongoing quality improvement.
Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven has provided important and vital services to the community since 1941 and continues to respond to the community as new services are needed. From mental health and counseling for children, adults and families; Adoption services; Foster Parent Training and Support; Case Management, Food Assistance, Energy Assistance; Holocaust Survivor’s Assistance; Volunteer Opportunities, to Services for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, JFS is proud of its staff and board for their dedication and the quality services they provide to our community and beyond.
Pictured is Acting Executive Director, Amy G. Rashba and just a few of the JFS staff members who were involved in the COA Re-accreditation.
JFS Board Member Linda Randell; JFS Acting Executive Director Amy Rashba, LCSW, and JFS Staff Member, Rachel Scolnic Dobin, LMSW
Congratulations to JFS staff member Rachel Scolnic Dobin, LMSW, and board member, Linda Randell, on receiving the Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies (CCFSA) Family Champions award on Tuesday evening, June 5, 2018 at the New Haven Lawn Club. Each year the CCFSA recognizes a staff member and a board member from each of their participating family service agencies. Both Rachel and Linda are well-deserving of this honor and below are the reasons they received this award.
Rachel Scolnic Dobin, LMSW, Community Outreach Coordinator, is a pivotal member of the Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven, joining the agency in August 2010. She consistently steps up to help in any and all ways to further JFS’ mission of helping make a difference in our client’s lives. She passionately cares about her clients and is an excellent advocate for them. Rachel’s work touches so many of JFS’s Programs and Services, however in particular the SOS Program and the Shalom Group. Through SOS, Rachel helps people who are experiencing tough times get back on their feet through employment and career resources, case management or community resources. In addition, she provides a friendly, educational and social environment for Jewish adults with developmental disabilities to find a community to connect with their heritage and each other through our Shalom Group.
Linda Randell began her journey with JFS in 2007 when she joined the JFS Board of Directors. Over the past 11 years, she has served on various committees, and as Vice President from 2011-2013 followed by President of the Board from 2013-2014.
Ms. Randell stands out for her unfailing willingness to go the extra mile for JFS whether it’s serving as a Board member, her kindness and generosity to both staff and board, or her keen sense in interpreting policies, procedures and issues with governance. She is currently is Chair of the JFS Governance Committee and Co-Chair of the Personnel Committee.
Ms. Randell also currently serves on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association, where she chairs the governance committee, and on the Boards of the Towers and the Gateway Community College Foundation. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan, with honors and high distinction, and received her J.D. from the Yale Law School. Ms. Randell was the first woman partner at Wiggin and Dana, where she headed the regulated industries practice group, and was senior vice president and general counsel of a New York Stock Exchange-listed public utility holding company. Ms. Randell currently speaks on governance, culture and ethics.
JFS Staff and Board and guests at the event: Front, Rabbi Benjamin Scolnic and Dorene Scolnic; JFS Board Members Cindy Papish Gerber and Sandy Friedman. Back row: Board Members Linda Randell, and Ros Sperling; JFS Staff Rachel Scolnic Dobin, LMSW; Amy Rashba, LCSW, Acting Executive Director; and Mara Ginsberg, JFS Volunteer Coordinator.
JFS would like to thank all of the generous sponsors, supporters and attendees for helping make our 2018 Spring Celebration honoring Joe Adler a success! The Spring Celebration, which took place on Sunday, May 6, 2018 at the JCC in Woodbridge, was attended by over 250 people.
Master of Ceremony Joel Sachs, JFS Board Member, introduced such esteemed speakers as Rabbi Herbert Brockman of Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden, Joel Karp, long-time friend of Joe Adler, and Amy Rashba, JFS’s Acting Executive Director.
Rachel Scolnic Dobin, Director of the JFS Social Work Outreach Services Program (SOS), discussed Joe Adler’s vision and the founding of the original program nearly 8 years ago. The night included live music provided by Tim Moran Woodwinds, testimonials from beneficiaries of the SOS Program and a history of the extensive contributions made by Joe Adler to the Jewish community, Greater New Haven community and Israel.
Proceeds from the JFS Spring Celebration will benefit the SOS Program – which offers assistance with vocational and employment services, case management, financial and food assistance.
Many thanks to our corporate sponsor Morgan Stanley and to all our generous contributors and attendees. For a list of major contributors, click here.
To view the photo album from the evening, click here.
Please visit https://www.thegreatgive.org/organizations/jewish-family-service-of-new-haven to support Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven. Funds raised will help JFS continue to provide valuable services to individuals and families in the Greater New Haven area. This 36-hour online giving campaign is run by the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven.
Please donate at any point between 8 a.m. today, Tuesday, May 1st and 8 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, May 2nd. In addition to funds raised, there are bonus funds available to JFS. If we are the organization with the most gifts from unique donors between noon and 1 p.m. today, we will receive an additional $1,000.
The Great Give 2018 is almost here! This 36-hour event takes place on May 1-2, 2018, but donors can give now during the Advance Giving period. Visit https://www.thegreatgive.org/organizations and search for Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven. Your donation will help us to continue to provide valuable services to those in our community.
Finding Comfort and Support:
A Jewish Bereavement Group
The loss of a loved one is felt differently by different people. Some who are grieving want extra support when times get more difficult, especially before holidays, but also at any time of year.
The Jewish Wellness & Healing Center at JFS has started a bereavement group. This group is an opportunity to receive peer support from individuals who have experienced something similar so you can cope a little easier.
The April meetings are scheduled on Tuesday, May 8th and Tuesday, May 22nd. Each group member will get the opportunity to verbalize their feelings and receive appropriate feedback from other group members and the facilitator.
Rabbi Fred Hyman, Ed.D, Director of Pastoral Counseling of the JFS Jewish Wellness and Healing Center, who has many years of experience as a congregational rabbi and as a mental health clinician, will facilitate this group.
The group will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the JFS office 1440 Whalley Ave. New Haven.
If a bereavement support group might be of help to you, please know that you are welcome to attend.
For more information and/or registration, please contact
Rabbi Fred Hyman at 203-389-5599, ext. 135
We did it! Thank you, everyone, for helping Food4Kids win the full $10,000 grant from Safeco Insurance! Your likes, comments and shares helped us to push past the necessary 200 social media interactions in the first day! We are so lucky to have such meaningful support for this program, which provides supplemental food for food insecure children throughout New Haven. Thank you again!
Please call 203-389-5599 x101 or email our clinical director dabbott@jfsnh.org to schedule your Discovery Call.
We did it! Thank you, everyone, for helping Food4Kids win the full $10,000 grant from Safeco Insurance! Your likes, comments and shares helped us to push past the necessary 200 social media interactions in the first day! We are so lucky to have such meaningful support for this program, which provides supplemental food for food insecure children throughout New Haven. Thank you again!