January 2013

 

Issue III    

JFCS Winter Leaves

 

 

Welcome to Viva La Volunteer!
The Volunteer Newsletter from JFCS

  

Volunteer 100 hours per year for better physical and mental health!

 

According to studies by the American Cancer Society, volunteers are often physically, emotionally and mentally healthier than their non-volunteering counterparts. The American Psychiatric Society recommends volunteering for depressed patients as part of their treatment plan. Why? Part of the reason may be subjectively self-reportable as "it makes me feel good" but many effects are objectively observable, too.  Studies show that volunteers in all age groups report elevated moods when involved as a volunteer. 

 

If possible, engage in volunteer activities for about two hours per week.  Some volunteer activities can be done after work or school, nights or weekends when the volunteer has more time.  Any amount of time one can give is beneficial to an organization.  So what about adding one more New Year's resolution in 2013 to volunteer either for the first time or more often with JFCS? Good for your health AND good for your community.

 


 

Save the dates

Please mark your new calendars now with the following dates:

  

JFCS/JCL Potluck and Information Meeting at JFCS
Sunday, January 27, 2013 from 5 - 7PM 

Speaker will be Robin Rosenbaum, Director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs Poverty Action Campaign

To RSVP and for more information, contact Kim Toebbe at 452-6341


Family Mitzvah Passover event to fill Passover bags for families in needSunday, March 17, 2013 from 1-3:30

 

Volunteer AppreciationMonday, April 15, 2013, more information to come. 

Meet JFCS English Tester, Susan Allen

 

JFCS Susan Allen When refugees and immigrants come through the JFCS Career Academy, one of the first things which must be established is their baseline English competency.  However, these assessments take time and with only two career specialists on staff, they asked for help. 

 

Volunteer coordinator Kim Toebbe got to work and recruited several individuals who had a willingness to work with this group of new Americans. Career Specialist Kathryn Bentley chose several capable recruits and a highly trained and well-organized team is now in place. 

 

Susan Allen is one of the team. Susan is married to Raymond Allen, is a member of the Temple, a  Mah- Jongg aficionado and loves to travel.  "Susan is a really good English tester; eager, reliable and trustworthy," according to Bentley.  "I can always count on the accuracy of her test scores!"

 

The English assessment volunteers have enabled the Career Academy to administer English exams on a much larger scale than was possible in previous months.  Comments Bentley, "Since their involvement, the number of clients who have completed both the literacy and oral interview tests has more than doubled."

 

Allen is also active with the JFCS Food Pantry Committee and is a Shabbos Friend substitute filling in, often at the last minute, when a regular Shabbos Friend is unavailable.  JFCS is very fortunate to have Susan on board!

 

Featured Volunteer: Bruce Belman 

 

JFCS Bruce Belman
Once upon a time in a far away place known as Cleveland, Bruce Belman was asked to interview for a position in Louisville, Kentucky. The year was 1997 and the firm in Louisville was still known as Coopers and Lybrand.  He was not particularly interested but took the interview anyway.  He received an offer but turned it down. 

 

Not taking no for an answer and after it merged with Price Waterhouse, the company invited Bruce back to Louisville. This time they orchestrated the family's visit around Thunder, golf outings and other sundry fun events. Both the opportunity and the city started to look attractive (of course it could have been the bourbon). He accepted the offer and moved to Louisville for the first time in the fall of 1998. his wife, Arlene, and 11 year old son really liked the city.

 

After a three-year detour to Houston with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bruce thought of returning to Cleveland.  However, his family was not too keen to go back to snow, cold and dreary weather.  To make a long story short, Crowe Horwath in Louisville was looking for a tax partner, they got his name and back he came in 2004.

 

Currently at home is his wife Arlene, son Michael (25) and two dogs - Casey and Dudley. Michael still loves this city and currently works for PricewaterhouseCoopers.  

 

Bruce has always been involved in community service.  From 2004-2011, he was on the Board of the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana. When his tenure ended, he was looking for another organization in which to become involved.  Jay Klempner and Mark Ament (past JFCS board presidents) approached him to join JFCS.

 

"It had been over 20 years since I was last involved in a Jewish organization. I met Executive Director, Judy Freundlich Tiell, and her passion and enthusiasm for the work of the agency convinced me that this would be the right organization for me. I believe in the mission of JFCS. The work of the organization has a positive impact on our community. What I learned after joining the Board was how many different ways the organization generated that positive impact.  More importantly, I saw the passion in my fellow board members, volunteers and staff," comments Bruce.

 

Bruce recently conducted a joint JFCS/JCL Tax & Estate Planning Seminar with Mark Oppenheimer to explain how tax and estate planning can benefit individuals, families and the community.  If you have tax and estate questions, you can reach Bruce at bruce.belman@crowehorwath.com

Volunteer Victories: Chanukah Helpers Family Mitzvah Event

 

JFCS Chanukah Helpers

Schlepping, collecting and sorting food and other items can be tedious. Usually moving bags and boxes from one place to another is anything but stimulating activity. When people come together to do these chores as part of good works, a phenomenon known as collective effervescence may occur wherein the tedious is transformed to the magical by the zeitgeist of the crowd.

  

JFCS Chanukah Helpers Kids

This aptly describes the Chanukah Family Mitzvah event at JFCS wherein volunteers unloaded a truckload of gifts which Temple Shalom congregants donated and piled the gifts around the perimeter of the JFCS board room so that families could later pick them up.

 

Ellen Shaikun and Bill Ryan, accompanied by two young percussionists, wowed the crowd with music. JoAnna Weiss even did a little Israeli dancing! Children and young families were happy to help and seemed electrified with energy to give back to those less fortunate than themselves. Many thanks to all those whom made this event such a great success!

 

Congratulations and Thanks!
 

JFCS Food Pantry Volunteers

Linda Goodman, Co-Manager of the JFCS Food Pantry, volunteered 364 hours for JFCS in 2012 and Co-Manager, Carole Goldberg logged 206 hours!  The volunteers come every Monday morning to restock and organize the food pantry.  Linda also drives for PALS, shops for the food pantry and takes food to Franciscan mission when we receive an overstock of perishable items from Fresh Market. Both ladies collect food from various groups to which they belong, sort and transport food from the Temple every week and more.

 

Linda is married to Steve Goodman and has three children and two grandchildren of whom she is very proud. Carole is married to Dr. Larry Goldberg, has four children and five grandchildren of whom she too is proud. Both belong to the Temple Sisterhood where both volunteers are very active and both are lifetime members of NCJW. 

 

This dynamic duo personifies the spirit of Tikkun Olam in all they do.

Millennial Mensch!

 

JFCS Jason Twenty-four-year old IU student and JFCS volunteer, Jason Goodman, believes it's important to give of one's time and talent without expecting anything in return. Not only does it benefit the receiver, but the giver is left with a smile knowing that he/she made a difference.

 

With this in mind, Jason volunteers with the Klein Older Adult Services and enters stacks of data required for a particular grantor to the program. Having worked with computers all his life, he applied his instructions easily.  Older adult director Mauri Malka marveled, "I only had to show him once and he just got it."

 

Jason has contributed in other ways - stuffing envelopes for mailings, sorting food for the food pantry and helping to fill Thanksgiving bags.  Along the way, Jason has learned more about JFCS and is amazed at all of the different ways JFCS helps people.   He stated, "I am proud to be volunteering here and look forward to seeing the difference JFCS continues to make in the Louisville community."

 

Jason Goodman is the quintessential example of an all-round great millennial volunteer whose exuberance, intelligence, energy and eagerness to do whatever it takes makes him a great new addition to the JFCS volunteer department!

 

Volunteer Opportunities - Calling All Doctors!

  

Cuban doctors need American doctors with whom they can spend about an hour per month speaking and asking questions in order to learn the American idiosyncrasies of medical practice. If you are retired, semi-retired or can offer just an hour of your time to help a fellow physician, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Kim Toebbe.

 

JFCS is able to help thousands of clients every year thanks to donations, grants, endowments and volunteers. There's something for everyone. Volunteers at JFCS perform a multitude of functions. Click here to view job descriptions, fill out a volunteer application, or for more information, call Kim Toebbe at (502) 452-6341. 

 

In This Issue
Meet Susan Allen, English Tester
Featured Volunteer: Bruce Belman
Volunteer Victories: Chanukah Helpers
Congratulations and Thanks
Millennial Mensch
Volunteer Opportunties
 
Jewish Family and Career Services 
2821 Klempner Way 
Louisville, KY 40205 
502-452-6341 
  

Funding for the Volunteer Newsletter is provided by JHHS Louisville Jewish Community Excellence Grants

JHHS