Save the Date for the JFS Executive Luncheon
Mark your calendars for our JFS Executive Luncheon with CNN anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper!
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel 1550 Court Place, Denver, CO 80202
Join us as we bring together the Denver philanthropic community to learn more about JFS, enjoy lunch, present the Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Community Leadership Award to the Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation, and listen to what’s sure to be a fascinating moderated conversation between journalist and 9NEWS anchor Kyle Clark and Anderson Cooper.
As a guest, you help JFS continue to offer innovative programs and services that give individuals and families hope amidst uncertainty.
Bookmark our event page to learn more about the Executive Luncheon as information becomes available: jewishfamilyservice.org/luncheon.
Dear Friends,
In just a few weeks, we’ll be ushering in 2025. I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to share what we have accomplished last fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) thanks to the dedication of our staff, Board, volunteers, and donors. The only way we can make a difference in our community and achieve our mission to improve the lives of individuals and families throughout Colorado is because of your commitment to JFS.
In addition to the impact numbers on the following page, I wanted to share a few highlights. With your support, we:
• Hosted our first Holocaust gathering for 50 survivors and 25 second- and third-generation family members to foster community, make connections, reflect, and inspire a culture of remembrance.
• Surveyed stakeholders to identify our strategic priorities so that we can ensure that JFS remains one of our community’s premier human services organizations, and our new fouryear strategic framework will focus on program and data optimization and financial sustainability.
• Acquired Altius Farms, which grows leafy greens that provide nourishment to our food pantry clients, restaurants, and the community and trains and employs JFS clients and veterans.
While no one can predict what 2025 will bring, based on what we continue to see, we’ll need your support more than ever to help individuals and families overcome the hardships they are experiencing and give them a pathway to succeed. Together, we can strengthen our community one person and one family at a time. I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude for your unwavering support. Thank you for being by our side and making the greatest impact for the greater good.
With warm regards,
Linda P. Foster President and CEO
Our Mission Continues…
With a new administration and Congress, Jewish Family Service of Colorado (JFS) is carefully assessing the potential impacts on our community and the clients who rely on our programs and services. We recognize that leadership changes can affect critical policies and essential funding throughout our agency, including refugee resettlement programs, food and housing assistance, employment services, and mental health support, particularly for new American youths in our KidSuccess program.
Since 1872, JFS has been fiercely committed to fulfilling its mission. Guided by our core values of making the world a better place and upholding our obligation to act justly toward people in need, we thoughtfully respond to our client’s changing needs and continue to strengthen communities.
With any change in political leadership, it is still critical that our work proceeds. We will continue our 152-year legacy of evolving and taking action to help our neighbors who need us to weather a crisis, better themselves, and achieve self-sufficiency. Our priorities remain the same, and we will continue to develop strategies to address challenges and collaborate with partners to advocate for the needs of our clients and community.
FY24 Highlights
Our collective impact over our fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) was impressive. Just a few ways we transformed lives include:
632 older adults received care management, homemaker services, counseling, and food services to keep them connected and engaged.
82 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities received a variety of support services and participated in inclusion activities.
350 clients received services such as care management, financial assistance, and mental health counseling in the Boulder community.
2,062 clients received employment support through our various employment programs.
1,263 adults and youth received mental health therapy.
435 Jewish individuals received direct spiritual care, comfort, and guidance through the Baskin Community Chaplaincy program.
868,817 meals served through the Weinberg Food Pantry, Lunchbox Express, and the Mobile Food & Hygiene Pantry, reaching 9,463 households.
22,681 hours of service contributed by dynamic volunteers across the Denver and Boulder metro region.
171 refugees were resettled from 12 countries of origin.
Be a Difference Maker
It’s not too late to help us accomplish extraordinary things for our community with your gift to JFS.
We meet our clients in the moment, and while that looks different for everyone, we are always here to help them meet their needs by providing food assistance, rental assistance, and mental health support; or helping them achieve their goals by teaching new job skills to expand employment opportunities, build resiliency, and make social connections.
With more than 30 programs and services, we can make powerful changes throughout our community and change lives for the better. But our work is more challenging than ever due to increasing needs, decreasing funding, and more complex cases. We are counting on you and your commitment to making the world a better place.
Your support is crucial and makes a significant impact in building healthy communities and strengthening tomorrow for clients like Melissa.
31,000 pounds of fresh produce was produced, sold, or donated from our JFS Altius Farms greenhouse and outdoor garden.
Melissa is a single parent who works at a local school. Through our Emergency Housing Assistance program, she received six months of rental support and Xcel bill pay. Our support ensured Melissa and her kids could keep their home and have stability in their lives.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT jewishfamilyservice.org/donate/2024
Abby’s Impact: Building Your Mental Health Toolbox
When we focus on our physical and mental well-being, we can be present, build confidence, strengthen our relationships, learn about our values, and prioritize them to make the right choices for us. That’s where the JFS Abby’s Impact: Realizing Resilience program can help anyone over 14 years old work on individual growth, build a peer support system, and strive to increase resilience and thrive.
Our learner-centered mental health education program provides a framework for dealing with daily stress and life’s struggles. It offers participants evidenced-based resources and tools to facilitate resilience so they can build their own mental health toolboxes. Participants will:
• Build their mental health toolbox with practical skills and techniques for managing stress and responding to negative emotions. Resilience skills sessions are available now, with topics such as self-compassion, mindfulness, communication skills, and more.
• Learn valuable life skills in areas such as financial literacy, career readiness, and more.
• Explore resources in the community and make personal connections with your peers.
It’s easy to get started with Abby’s Impact; just join us for a quick virtual intro session. The initial Introduction to Abby’s Impact: The What, Why, and How of Building Your Resiliency Toolbox class is 90 minutes. We will discuss stress, including the science behind when it’s helpful and when it becomes a problem, as well as how learning and practicing resilience skills can help our overall well-being and details of what you can learn through the Abby’s Impact program. After attending this session, you can enroll in other Abby’s Impact programming. There is no commitment to take additional classes after the introductory session, but the initial course ensures everyone moves ahead with the same information.
Our virtual classes are free to participants, with funding provided from private donors. All sessions are taught by a resiliency instructor and are designed to encourage a community feel, help participants build deeper connections, and foster communication.
Learn more about the Abby’s Impact program, including registration information, at jewishfamilyservice.org/services/abbys-impact
Job Fair Thanks
In September, Denver-area job seekers joined us for our JFS Job Fair at Calvary Baptist Church. This event continues to be a tremendous success based on the increased number of employer partners, community agencies, and job seekers who came together to connect.
We’re always grateful when our partners take the time to provide feedback, including the following note from Employment Specialist Cristina from the Jefferson Center:
“I just wanted to reach out and thank you again for hosting such a wonderful, wellorganized, and well-attended job fair last month! Everyone I interacted with on your team and the volunteers were so cheerful and helpful and the accommodations you had in place with language, interpreters, and assistance was incredibly impressive! I wish more job fairs put in the level of effort to accessibility that was so clear here today. I look forward to attending your future events.”
Our job fairs are designed to connect job seekers with a variety of employers providing a unique opportunity to meet potential employees. We encourage partners to join us in these efforts to make a difference in our community. Stay tuned for details on dates and locations! If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Kristen at 303.316.6682 or kstpeter@jewishfamilyservice.org. Together, we can continue to foster meaningful connections and support our job seekers.
JFS Introduces Our New Four-year Strategic Framework
Information gathered while surveying stakeholders helped identify our strategic priorities to ensure that JFS remains one of our community’s premier human services organizations. Our new four-year strategic framework outlined below focuses on two strategic priorities to guide the organization to achieve long-term stability and impact, allowing us to continue to fulfill our mission to improve the lives of individuals and families in need throughout Colorado and provide innovative programs that inspire people to achieve long-term stability and live more meaningful lives.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Financial Sustainability
Financial sustainability is the cornerstone of a resilient and thriving organization. At its core, financial sustainability is about more than just balancing budgets and maximizing revenue; it is about creating a robust framework that integrates prudent financial management with strategic growth initiatives and sustainability.
This process involves developing comprehensive financial metrics, streamlining operations for efficiency, and cultivating diverse revenue streams through targeted fundraising, strategic partnerships, and maximizing earned revenue. Ultimately, financial sustainability empowers JFS to weather economic uncertainties and invest in our future, innovate programs, and deepen our impact.
Key components include:
• Financial Management and Efficiency
• Revenue Generation Strategies
• Strategic Fundraising Initiatives
• Board and Leadership Involvement
Program and Data Optimization
Through program and data optimization, we will develop a systematic process for evaluating all programs and departments on an ongoing basis, leading to program continuation, expansion, reduction, and modification. Program and data optimization is critical for ensuring that our current and potential services are efficient, impactful, and aligned with both community needs and organizational goals.
The optimization of programs and data processes will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of each service area, streamline reporting, and foster data-informed decisionmaking. This approach supports not only the sustainability of services but also maximizes their impact by tailoring them to meet the evolving needs of stakeholders.
Key components include:
• Data Collection Process and Technology
• Program Evaluation
• Data Analysis and Visualization
• Staffing, Training, and Implementation
• Optimization Cycle
We look forward to sharing more about our priorities as they progress.
Inspiration Abounds at Faces of JFS
On December 4, guests came together at The Cable Center to celebrate how JFS has been helping individuals in need expand their skills and opportunities by providing services that support them to be successful for more than 152 years. The highlight of the evening was the recognition of two incredible individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, philanthropy, and dedication to Jewish Family Service and our community: Yana Vishnitsky Leadership Award recipient, Dr. Richard Sanders, and Joyce and Kal Zeff Humanitarian Award recipient, Dr. Nancy Reichman.
A special thank you to our sponsors:
Community $15,000
Friend $5,000
Family $10,000
Guests also learned about our disability programs and how participants Janna and Joe (among others) benefit from our services. You can watch the video at https://bit.ly/VideoFaces—and we’re positive it will make you smile just like everyone at the event did!
To everyone who attended, donated, or sponsored the event, we couldn’t do it without your support. Thank you so much for investing in JFS. Now, more than ever, we must come together to ensure our community continues to have a strong foundation.
Jacqueline and Howard Bellowe
Bender West Foundation
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
The Chotin Family and Foundation company kd
The Curtiss-Lusher and Lusher Families
Feiner Family Foundation
Stew and Susan Fisher
Linda and Bill Foster
Freeman Family Foundation
Niah and Aaron Hyatt
Bill and Beth Landman
Christopher and Marianne Lane
Mindy Levy Peckar and Steve Peckar
Ed and Wendy Nekritz
Rose Community Foundation
Cindy and Carl Rossow
Friend $5,000 (cont.)
Jo and Dick Sanders
Michael Staenberg
Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation
Vishnitsky Family
Stephanie and Sam Zaitz
Meghan and Evan Zucker
Patron $3,500
Colorado Access
Ruth Malman and Michael Opatowski
Mindy and Rick Miller
Nancy and Paul Oberman
Pollock Family
Jennifer Rothschild and Julian Izbiky
Syntrinsic & Ben and Amie
Valore-Caplan
Building Bridges to Support Our Boulder Clients
Every day, our JFS Boulder team helps people overcome difficult life challenges and reach their full potential by providing programs and services that keep them supported, connected, and engaged.
Stuart Feinhor, MA, MAHL, MFA, Programs Coordinator, Care Manager, joined JFS Boulder in 2020 and is one of our team members who believes in strengthening the community by providing vital services to those in need. Stuart focuses on providing care management services to older adults, co-facilitating the Caregivers Support Group, developing additional programs for older adults, and providing emergency financial support for individuals facing housing instability or are unable to pay for basic needs. He also works closely with staff and volunteers to match Friendly Visitors with his older adult Care Management clients.
In his role, Stuart fills an important gap in providing services to help our clients, like Mary Beth, become self-sufficient and thrive.
A New Yorker by birth, Mary Beth lived in Boulder for many years before a friend referred her to JFS.
She was struggling, including recovering in a rehabilitation facility after a fall and needed help. Stuart worked with Mary Beth and ensured she received financial assistance and mental health support. In addition, when Mary Beth was new to Boulder and didn’t know many people, she participated in our Friendly Visitor program, which promotes connection, engagement, and fun between older adults and volunteers. Our volunteers are individually matched with an older adult to provide an hour or so of companionship each week.
“You guys did a lot for me,” shared Mary Beth.
“JFS has wonderful people who’ve been extremely kind to me and [who’ve] stepped in when I needed support, both financially and personally.”
Thank you, Stuart and our entire JFS Boulder team, for your commitment to helping those in need throughout our community. Also, many thanks to Mary Beth for sharing her story.
To learn more about JFS Boulder, visit jewishfamilyservice.org/about-jfs-boulder.
“JFS has wonderful people who’ve been extremely kind to me and [who’ve] stepped in when I needed support, both financially and personally.”
Jewish Family Service of Colorado
Joyce and Kal Zeff Building
3201 South Tamarac Drive
Denver CO 80231-4360
Social services for Jewish victims of the Holocaust have been supported by a grant from The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. FROM
