May 2025

In response to recent news about the federal government’s resettlement of white South Africans, specifically Afrikaners, we want to share important context and reaffirm our organizational values and position.

Read our statement here.

This month, JFCS East Bay proudly joined dozens of Jewish organizations from across California at the JPAC Capitol Summit in Sacramento. Organized by the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), this annual event brought together hundreds of Jewish advocates to speak with a unified voice on key legislative priorities impacting our communities.

Participants met with state legislators to advocate for bills that reflect our values and mission, reinforcing JFCS East Bay’s commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of the communities we serve, especially refugees, Holocaust survivors, low-income families, and others who are too often marginalized. We were proud to stand in coalition with partners across the state to ensure California remains a place of inclusion, safety, and dignity for all.

Thanks to your incredible support, we met and surpassed the $25,000 matching gift challenge for our refugee services from the Shapiro Family Foundation through our Better Together volunteer crowdfunding campaign!



Launched on March 26, ten amazing volunteers helped raise $28,252 from 58 gifts, unlocking the full $25,000 match. Campaign highlights include:

• $11,841 raised by 10 dedicated volunteer fundraisers
• A $14,400 gift from a Presbyterian Church and an additional $1,000 gift from a congregant, both inspired by one volunteer’s outreach
• $2,700 in gala ticket purchases and donations above and beyond the match

This campaign proved that we truly are Better Together. Thank you to our incredible volunteers, and to everyone who gave, for making this possible!

Layla (name changed) is the primary caregiver for her mother, a JFCS East Bay client who requires 24-hour care due to serious health challenges. Enrolled in our Personal Caregiver program, Layla received support for navigating the complex In-Home Supportive Services system, with the goal of making IHSS her main source of income.

Thanks to ongoing support, including help with forms, healthcare navigation, and advocacy, Layla was approved as an IHSS provider. Though her initial hours were limited, her case manager continues to support her through the reassessment process. Layla’s story reflects how JFCS East Bay empowers caregivers with the tools, guidance, and compassion they need to support their families and build more stable futures.

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Mercy Willard, who joined JFCS East Bay in May 2025 as our new Chief Development Officer. Dr. Willard brings more than two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and community engagement.

Before joining us, she served as Executive Director of the USC Latino Alumni Association, where she doubled the scholarship endowment and aligned student programs with best practices. She was also appointed by LA Mayor Karen Bass to the Local Government Services Commission.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Willard worked in the nonprofit health sector with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Diabetes Association, focusing on health equity and community partnerships. She holds degrees from UCLA, Regis University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from USC, where she researched scholarship impact on first-generation Latino college students.

We’re thrilled to have her on board!

Our board member, Rena Davis, uses her expertise to uplift communities across California. A Bay Area native with deep ties to Oakland, Pinole, and Richmond, Rena’s journey, from Howard University to UC Santa Cruz to UC Hastings College of the Law, has been driven by a commitment to service and advocacy.

With experience spanning government, academia, and the nonprofit world, Rena has dedicated her career to shaping policies that create meaningful change. A former staffer for Senator Boxer, she is now Head of U.S. Government Relations for Xero.

Beyond her professional impact, Rena finds joy in reading, gardening, and exploring the outdoors with her corgi mix and golden retriever. Her leadership reminds us that when we come together, we can rise, lifting one another and our communities toward a brighter future.

At JFCS East Bay, we believe that lasting community change happens when local leaders champion equity, access, and opportunity for all. That’s why we’re proud to spotlight Ahmed Alibob, whose leadership exemplifies these values.

As Chairman of the Board at the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Ahmed is helping steer a vision of economic development that uplifts the entire community, including those who have historically been marginalized. This work aligns with JFCS East Bay’s efforts to support refugees, immigrants, and families through housing, employment, and mental health services.

In his role as Director of Social Impact at Block, Ahmed leads global efforts to expand access to financial tools and support underserved populations—goals that closely mirror our commitment to creating pathways for self-sufficiency and long-term well-being.

Whether advocating for inclusive business policies or creating corporate-community partnerships, Ahmed’s work complements and strengthens the ecosystem JFCS East Bay is part of. His leadership is a reminder that when business and community work hand in hand, we can create a more just and thriving East Bay.

Earlier this month, JFCS East Bay welcomed representatives from Alameda County Behavioral Health for a collaborative review of our service delivery and an open discussion about ongoing community needs. These conversations are part of our growing partnership with the County, rooted in a shared commitment to improving outcomes for individuals and families most impacted by complex trauma.

Together, we are working to strengthen mental health access across Alameda County, particularly in communities that have long faced barriers to care. By aligning our work with the County’s priorities and deepening our coordination, we are increasing capacity to provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive services that meet people where they are, emotionally, geographically, and linguistically.

This partnership is an important step forward in building a more integrated, equitable behavioral health system in the East Bay. We’re proud to stand alongside Alameda County Behavioral Health in this work and look forward to continued collaboration as we expand support for those who need it most.

Join us on Saturday, May 17th, for Healing Hearts: Walk/Run/MOVE! for Suicide Prevention, a powerful day of movement, community, and collective care benefiting Crisis Support Services of Alameda County. Whether you walk, run, roll, or dance, every action you take supports life-saving suicide prevention services in our community.

Your unused car can do more than take up space — it can help move lives forward. When you donate your vehicle to JFCS East Bay, you support immigrants and refugees, Holocaust survivors, children and families in crisis, and older adults in need of care and connection. It’s easy: call 855-500-RIDE or visit jfcs-eastbay.org/cars to schedule a free pick-up and receive a tax receipt. You make a difference — we make it easy.

At JFCS East Bay, we know how critical programs like SNAP are for the well-being of the communities we serve. A new bill in Congress threatens to slash nearly $300 billion from SNAP, the nation’s most effective anti-hunger program, and impose harsh new requirements that would hit single mothers, rural residents, and others already facing food insecurity.

Our partners at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger are leading the charge against these harmful cuts through their No One Deserves to Go Hungry campaign.

Join us in taking action: Learn more and send a postcard to Congress.

Together, we can protect the safety net that so many of our neighbors rely on.