Last week, we welcomed Brandon Lipps, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of the USDA, and Commissioner Jeff McCue of the Department of Transitional Assistance for a tour of JVS and to meet with our students. These federal and state officials learned about the variety of employment and training opportunities open to JVS students, including our Pharmacy Technician Training Program, Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program, and Transitions to Work, a training program for young adults with disabilities. Brandon Lipps and Commissioner McCue even volunteered to help our CNA students prepare for their certification exams by acting as patients! The USDA oversees the administration of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and about 25% of JVS students are recipients of SNAP benefits (food stamps).

Earlier this month, Karin Blum, JVS Chief Development Officer, traveled to San Antonio as part of the CJP FACES mission. The Fund to Aid Children and End Separation (FACES) provides financial support to three nonprofits working on the ground in Texas to assist separated children and detained families. On the mission, the participants learned first-hand about the situation on the ground and assembled backpacks with supplies for children and families separated at the border. Read Karin's blog post about her experience here .

Litty Medalia joined the JVS team over 13 years ago. She serves as the Lead Vocational ESOL Instructor in our Refugee Services Department, and received her M.Ed. from Antioch University. Litty feels privileged to work with terrific colleagues, volunteers, and people from all over the world as they find jobs and a better life in Boston. Litty also greatly values the chance to collaborate for a win/win. An example is the relationship she built with MCPHS, Forsyth Dental Hygiene Clinic and the Whittier Street Health Center.

The partnership started 12 years ago when Litty’s former student, a Tibetan refugee, enrolled at Forsyth and wanted to give back by giving a presentation about oral hygiene to Litty's class. Since then, the relationship with Forsyth has grown considerably, and other oral hygiene schools across the U.S. have learned how to replicate our model. Now Forsyth oral hygienists work together with the Whittier Street Health Center to offer comprehensive free dental care to JVS clients and their families. Since this partnership began, thousands of JVS refugee students have received dental care at no cost, and we are so grateful to Litty for starting, maintaining, and growing this wonderful collaboration! Litty is pictured above (center) with Forsyth graduates Kayla Renteria (left) and Anna Kotecka (right).