Responding to emerging community needs, JFCS established the Disabilities Program in 1993. The comprehensive program provides counseling for adults, children and families; support groups; case management; information and referral; volunteer support; and advocacy on behalf of people who have been unable to access services or need specialized assistance. In addition, the Disabilities Program pays particular attention to outreach and works with the community to develop new programs to fill unmet needs. The Disabilities Program is partially funded by the John and Terry Levin Endowed Fund for People with Disabilities. The JFCS MEALS delivery program is funded in part by the Essey Family Foundation.

The JFCS AIDS Project was established in 1986 under the auspices of the Jewish Emergency Assistance network (JEAN) with three goals in mind: to ease the pain and stress of disabling HIV disease for Jewish people with AIDS, their loved ones and families; to offer volunteer opportunities for members of the Jewish community to become involved in the fight against AIDS; and to provide AIDS education and outreach to the Jewish community.

The JFCS AIDS Project is now under the umbrella of the Disabilities Program. It is committed to delivering quality care in a context that reflects the traditional values of tending the sick and comforting the bereaved. Experienced staff and dedicated volunteers work together to provide counseling, emotional support, practical assistance, financial aid and referrals to other community resources.

The Disabilities Program is supported by fees, contributions, and grants, including a grant from the Jewish Community Endowment Newhouse Fund of the Jewish Community Federation.

The Disabilities Program is a program of Jewish Family and Children's Services, The Miriam Schultz Grunfeld Professional Building, 2150 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

For information on its community education programs, please contact Abby Kovalsky, LCSW, at (415) 449-1224 voice or (415) 345-1927 TDD or AbbyK@jfcs.org.