There are times in a person's life where the memories of an event will forever be engrained.
Through the generosity of Mr. Sheldon Adelson, both Nora Kraidman, Senior Services Director, and Christina Primack, CEO of Jewish Family Service Agency of Las Vegas, NV had the pleasure of traveling with forty of our local Holocaust Survivors to Carson City for the Governor's recognition of Yom Hashoah.  The energy and excitement in the airport was contagious as they anxiously waited for the green light to load the busses and board Mr. Adelson's private aircraft.  As they approached their "chariot in the sky," Christina was able to photograph the most precious faces of their Survivors. Continue reading here.

Jewish Family & Children's Service of Pittsburgh, PA was featured in the Winter/Spring 2013 edition of the Journal of Jewish Communal Service. Jordan Golin, PsyD, Director of Clinical and Elder Care Services for JFCS Pittsburgh and Jeffrey Freedman, board member co-authored "The Protective Factors for Maintaining Independence," on JFCS Pittsburgh's assessment tool for seniors.

Newly-arrived refugees usually can find only low-wage jobs, requiring both parents to work in order to support a family with children. However, childcare issues (inability to communicate with English speaking providers, non-traditional work schedules, transportation, etc.) often act as a barrier to employment for refugee women.
 
Jewish Family & Career Services of Louisville, KY received a grant from the Department of Health & Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement to oversee the Family Childcare Program.  This 8-week training prepares low-income refugee women to operate home-based childcare businesses. The training focuses on child development, health, safety, and nutrition, as well as small business planning and management.  Participants receive individual assistance to help them get their businesses up and running and to ensure they are able to provide quality childcare in a safe environment. Initially women are prepared to operate registered childcare homes that can care for up to three children; those with capacity to meet licensing requirements are provided with assistance in growing their businesses over time. The Family Childcare Program promotes self-sufficiency, allowing providers to earn income while enabling other women to overcome childcare barriers and go to work.
 
Volunteer instructors and mentors provide opportunities for participants to interact with American culture and provide support that will help ensure that they will succeed.

Beginning in late May, Jewish Family Service of Colorado will begin training volunteers for its Bikur Cholim (Visiting the Sick) Para-chaplain Program.

Para-chaplain volunteers visit Jewish seniors or conduct holiday services in non-Jewish nursing homes, assisted living facilities, prisons, and hospitals to provide spiritual support to isolated members of the Jewish community. "These invaluable volunteers truly help make a difference in the lives of people suffering from serious illness or isolation," says Nancy Benyamin, JFS director of volunteer services.

In order to be a para-chaplain, volunteers must be Jewish, but do not need to have an extensive Jewish education. To lead services, a deeper understanding of Jewish traditions is desirable.

Training is provided by JFS staff members and knowledgeable expert guest speakers.

Information/registration: Beth Lippa at 720.248.4599.

Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .

 

  

AJFCA's Annual Conference will feature a Delegates Lounge where attendees have the opportunity to meet and network with colleagues, friends, sponsors and exhibitors. Tables will be set up in the lounge to display AJFCA agency brochures, special/annual reports, projects, and/or marketing and fundraising materials. Please share your agency's materials and either bring or send 100 copies of each publication. Shipped materials must be received at JFCS Phoenix no later than Friday, May 10th. Please be sure to use the mailing address below.

Attn:  Louann - Delegates Lounge Materials
 

The cut off date to register under AJFCA's group block and discounted rate of $209/ night at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa is Monday, April 22nd. Book your room here.

The cut off date to register for the 41st Annual Conference at a rate of $520 is Tuesday, April 30th. Registrations made after April 30th will begin at $570. Register here.

All outstanding invoices are due to Sandra Rosenbaum no later than April 30th.

For the first time in years, the Senate this week is set to take up legislation to expand and support the nation's behavioral health treatment system. The Excellence in Mental Health Act may be included in this vote.

What does the Excellence Act mean for you as a provider, consumer, or family member? The National Council for Community and Behavioral Healthcare's new comic book, "A Guide to FQBHCs," will help you understand the concept of federally-qualified behavioral health centers, as outlined in the Excellence in Mental Health Act.

Please share widely with your colleagues and partners to help protect the future of behavioral healthcare! Then, take 2 minutes to ask your Senators to vote for the Excellence Act. Your advocacy is crucial to getting this important legislation through Congress!

Technology serves as the glue that bring like-minded people together. This is why relationships are now more important than ever. Even though people are connecting in social networks, just creating a presence on Facebook or Twitter isn't enough to show that you're listening. Nor does it convey empathy or a new vision. Hosting conversations or getting people to follow you on Twitter or Like you on Facebook is one thing. But, to connect and foster real relationships, organizations must learn how to dedicate resources to listen, learn and adapt the processes, systems, experiences and prevailing culture that will entice and nurture consumer engagement. Continue reading here.

Kivi Leroux Miller, 2013 AJFCA Annual Conference guest speaker, has been having lots of conversations with clients and others lately about building email lists. Often these conversations start with Kivi being asked if a client should do one very specific tactical thing or not, which is not the right place to start.
 

Instead, think a little more big picture first. What is it that you want that person to do, and what is the path that will take them to the place online where they do it? Continue reading here.

What Moneyball Didn't Teach You About Measurement 

Fabulous Guide to Visual Storytelling, April 8, 2013, Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog, by Katya Andersen

Resource Media has a fantastic and free guide to visual storytelling. It's a MUST read (see) for your cause. The guide has great tips like:

There are great examples, checklists and templates. Get the guide here.

From Founder's Dilemma to Founders' Advantage: The Partnership Model as a Pathway to Second Stage Growth 

When someone asks Elie Kaunfer, co-founder and executive director of Mechon Hadar for advice these days about launching a Jewish start-up, she always ask first: "Who is your partner?" In my mind, this is much more important than the brilliance of the new idea or even the potential sources of funding. Launching a start-up is daunting, but launching a start-up alone is extraordinarily difficult. Continue reading here.

Engaging Major Donors with Humor 

Hear from a development director with 35 years in the development business how he uses humor to engage donors.

Even if your nonprofit organization is financially healthy, you'd do well to keep an eye on the future. We live in an environment of ever-increasing demands on resources; you need to be on the lookout for new ways to ensure long-term sustainability.

Chances are pretty good that you've been using the same set of online tools to create your donation forms, email messages, advocacy alerts for a while now.  Settling down with a set of online tools is comfy, like wearing a pair of sweatpants. Familiar. Easy. Sure, you've got your pet peeves about the system but you know each other pretty darn well.

UJA-Federation of New York's Task Force on Family Violence

• Human trafficking is a $32 billion industry.
• Jewish women and girls were trafficked for sex to the Americans as part of the "white slave trade.
• The average age of entry into prostitution is 13.   

Attend this all-day conference to explore the history and obligation to combat sex-trafficking. This conference is open to all and will provide essential information for social-service, legal, and medical professionals; Jewish clergy, rabbinical students, and educators; lay leaders and all those interested in learning more about this form of modern day slavery.

Monday, April 22, 2013

8:30am-5:00pm

UJA-Federation of New York, Seventh-Floor Conference Center

130 East 59th Street, New York City

Debby Perelmuter, Vice President of Services to the Jewish Community and The Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA) has been involved in the planning of the conference, and one of JCCA's treatment programs, Gateways, for trafficked women is being featured, in the last part of the day.

AJFCA encourages member agencies to attend this free webinar offered by our newest Partner Foothold Technology, a leading provider of web-based software developed specifically for human services organizations.

If you're among the hundreds of community-based providers looking to transition to electronic record-keeping without breaking the bank, you cannot afford to miss this webinar. Foothold's software, AWARDS, has helped more than 600 behavioral health and human service agencies track their services and bill more accurately, resulting in increased revenue and a higher quality of care. Continue reading here.

Data Driven - Path Focused
Wednesday, May 1st, 3pm ET - REGISTER HERE
Thursday, May 2nd, 3pm ET - REGISTER HERE