Dear Friends,

When you receive this issue of Family Matters, we’ll be days away from the beginning of spring, but today, as I write this letter, we’re in the midst of a winter storm warning. Although, in Colorado, we know that we’re as likely to see heavy snow blanketing trees in March as we are in January. In the same way snow doesn’t discriminate between winter and spring, the needs we see at JFS aren’t seasonal.

We continue to experience unprecedented demand for our services, especially around food, mental health counseling, and housing for unhoused neighbors and refugees. To give you a glimpse of what we face:

• Due to inflation and rising costs for food, gas, energy bills, and other essential items, on average, we’re seeing 30 new households come through our Weinberg Food Pantry each day. On certain pantry days, we even exceed our COVID-19 peak of 180 families. The amount of food insecurity that we’re experiencing is daunting, and with the reduction of COVID-19 induced SNAP/WIC benefits at the end of February, the needs will increase.

• Our Mental Health team is working diligently to raise awareness about mental health challenges, fight stigma, and support the estimated one million Coloradans with mental health conditions. As you can imagine, our staff has seen an increase in those struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, and isolation, and we’re seeing this increase in both adults and children. Unfortunately, we have waiting lists for mental health services and are working hard to hire more therapists to serve those individuals.

• I’m sure, like me, you continue to be concerned about the global unrest. JFS has returned to our roots and is now a permanent Reception & Placement agency working in partnership with HIAS, the Global Jewish Organization for Refugees. Through our Yana Vishnitsky Refugee Resettlement program, we are resettling refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Burma, Central America, Africa, and more.

In this issue, you’ll learn how JFS is doing more than filling immediate gaps for our refugee clients. We’re providing long-term solutions to help them transition, rebuild, and become empowered and self-sufficient in their new lives. We can’t do it alone, though. I hope you feel inspired to help when you read about the opportunities for you to support our refugees. Whether you donate to our spring appeal, gather furnishings to make a home, or volunteer, you will be making a tremendous difference to our newly arrived friends.

However you choose to support JFS, we are grateful for your continued dedication. You help make the greatest impact for the greater good.

With warm regards,

Linda P. Foster President and CEO