The Hanukkah Helpers program has been an integral part of Jewish Family & Career Services for more than 30 years. Led by the Women of Temple Shalom, Hanukkah Helpers ensures that each year client families of JFCS are given items such as clothing, toys and school supplies at Hanukkah. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, donations of physical items were unable to be accepted. Instead, the Women of Temple Shalom worked tirelessly to raise funds that were used to purchase gift cards. Their efforts resulted in more than $3,600 in gift cards for Jewish families in need. Our sincerest thanks go out to the Women of Temple Shalom and all who participated in Hanukkah Helpers. You have made a difference in a child’s life at Hanukkah this year!
JFCS serves many families who are facing new financial realities as a result of COVID-19. Since April 2020, JFCS has seen double the number of families seeking access to food and essential items in the JFCS Sonny & Janet Meyer Food Pantry and we have distributed 5x the amount of food in recent months than we did in February 2020. As these families grapple with the ability to feed themselves, making this time of year special becomes daunting. By partnering with JFCS, those who support Hanukkah Helpers are making an impactful difference in the lives of JFCS clients.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, JFCS has continued to provide counseling, career support and direct assistance to clients and neighbors who need it most. With continued support from donors and community partners, JFCS is able to ensure that all in Greater Louisville live with dignity and purpose.
“Over the past 20 of years working with refugee and immigrant entrepreneurs the largest barrier I’ve seen to opening a successful storefront is managing the financial burden of overhead at the beginning of their business venture,” said Cynthia Brown, Director of the JFCS Navigate Enterprise Center.
The Jewish Family & Career Services and Kentucky Refugee Ministries Artisan Shop opened for business on October 5, 2019 as part of the Logan Street Market grand opening. Located in the Shelby Park neighborhood near downtown, the market serves as a gathering space for community members to learn, grow and connect.
And in that bustling community space today, JFCS clients are producing, marketing and selling hand-crafted products ranging from jewelry and clothing to leather goods and art. The Artisan Shop enables these entrepreneurs to use their skills and talents to portray their life journeys through their work while building their customer base without the risk and the cost of opening individual storefronts.
The Artisan Shop is one of many initiatives of JFCS’s Navigate Enterprise Center and is based on a cooperative model of shared space and staffing hours, with startup costs covered through JFCS’s Navigate program. The Artisan Shop mitigates financial risk by providing physical space to sell products and builds exposure and brand awareness while educating new entrepreneurs on specifics related to owning and managing a retail business.
JFCS Navigate has a long history of supporting and empowering local entrepreneurs — including refugees, immigrants and other underrepresented community members — as they manage challenges inherent in starting a business. Obstacles such as access to capital and limited business management experience can pose challenges to those at the start of their entrepreneurial journeys. We are here to guide them through those challenges to ensure their business venture is a success.
You can support the JFCS/KRM Artisan Shop and the artisans JFCS serves by shopping locally at the Logan Street Market. Some curbside and online options are available, too! Visit the Artisan Shop at Logan Street Market on Tuesdays from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, Thursday – Saturday from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm or on Sunday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.*
*HOURS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO NEW AND ONGOING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. PLEASE STAY CONNECTED WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND REFER TO THE LOGAN STREET MARKET COMMUNICATIONS FOR UPDATES TO MARKET OPERATIONS AND HOURS.
Carole Snyder grew up visiting senior living facilities with her parents to offer Friday evening Shabbat services to Jewish elders. So, when JFCS mentioned the idea of bringing Shabbat to local seniors, Carole knew she wanted to be involved.
Today, Carole and her daughter, Sara Yamin, continue the family legacy of offering Shabbat joy and community to older Jewish community members through the JFCS Doris L. & Theodore B. Meyers Shabbos Friends Program. Named for Carole’s parents and Sara’s grandparents, the program creates meaningful connections for JFCS volunteers and Jewish seniors living in local assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The time these volunteers and seniors spend together creates a special bond and has forged new friendships over the years.
Since the COVID-19 crisis, regular in-person volunteer visits have been put on hold. For the mother-daughter duo, it is important that the 60 local Jewish seniors who participate in the program know they are not forgotten during the pandemic. The pair, along with other JFCS volunteers, have been making telephone reassurance calls and check-ins regularly. They have also been working closely with the assisted living and nursing home facilities to provide holiday cards and small gifts, like wall calendars, to the seniors. But Carole, Sara, and the Shabbos Friends volunteers are anxious to get back to visiting their senior friends in-person.
JFCS has adapted many of its programs since the beginning of the global pandemic to ensure our clients continue to receive the support they need. Although volunteer opportunities are limited due to the COVID-19 crisis, JFCS looks forward to the day they can fully resume.
JFCS strives to be the place where people can express Jewish values through service and action that make a difference in the Greater Louisville community. The JFCS Doris L. & Theodore B. Meyers Shabbos Friends Program is just one of the programs we offer in support of that goal. If you or your family is interested in volunteering with JFCS, please contact us at volunteer@jfcslouisville.org.
In March, the global COVID-19 crisis brought about a drastic shift in how human service agencies, like Jewish Family & Career Services, provide services and ongoing support to clients.
JFCS quickly adapted to a world in which in-person services were no longer an option. We have continued to provide counseling, career support, access to food, and direct assistance to our clients and community members who need it most. In these past eight months, we have seen a marked increase in the number of individuals and families navigating new financial realities and seeking services in response to COVID-19.
So, where are we now?
Since July 2020, we have helped…
- 373 older adults and family caregivers manage the aging process by providing care coordination, counseling, family caregiving support, grandparents raising grandchildren support, long-term care planning, PALS transportation service, senior concierge homecare, and various support groups.
- 707 individuals receive holistic family strengthening services such as career coaching and counseling, financial assistance and financial literacy, food pantry services, individual, couple, and family counseling, parenting coaching, resource coordination, and various workshops.
- 143 individuals, couples, and families improve their emotional well-being and realize their life goals through counseling and personal coaching in addition to support groups and workshops.
And there is still more to do.
Each day JFCS staff members receive new requests for food, direct assistance, and support from members of the Greater Louisville community. This important work is possible thanks to generous JFCS donors and volunteers who work along with our professional staff to ensure that all in Greater Louisville live with dignity and purpose. You can help JFCS expand possibilities for each person and every family to meet life’s challenges with confidence, here.