News & Impact

Mark Bely says that what he knows about JFCS is that it is a go to organization. When you need help, have questions, or want to give back to the community, you go to JFCS. Mark was nine years old when his family left Russia for a new life in San Francisco. His parents, Boris and Larisa, moved the family to be closer to Boris’ father, who had made the same journey a year before. With hard work and the help of JFCS’ Emigre Services, the three generations of the Bely family soon adjusted to life in America—Boris became… Read More

Just last year, Sarah escaped from a decade-long, abusive relationship with the father of her two young children. She was finally making ends meet on her own when she lost her retail job due to the pandemic. Sarah called JFCS in tears, worried that her sons—who had already experienced so much pain and trauma—now would not even have enough to eat. Sarah is one of thousands of people struggling to afford the cost of food and basic essentials who have called JFCS for help since the start of the pandemic. In fact, the need for food in our community is… Read More

Laura Robbin is passionate about leveling the playing field for all members of society. Inspired by her mother’s involvement with a variety of community organizations, Laura cares deeply about improving education for underserved children and solving homelessness and hunger. Putting her beliefs into action, Laura tutors students at Eastside College Preparatory School in East Palo Alto in algebra and reading comprehension. She was introduced to JFCS after the birth of her younger of two children when she sought out support at Parents Place (now part of JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth) on the Peninsula. Her good friend Alison… Read More

JFCS Board member Deb Stadtner is devoted to philanthropic work in the Jewish community. After a successful 20-year career in market research, she now focuses considerable time on building a thriving and meaningful community in Marin and beyond. When her oldest of 4 children started preschool at the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center (OMJCC), Deb began volunteering at the school. This experience ignited a passion for serving others. In the years since, she has become a beloved leader in the Jewish community—volunteering and/or serving on the boards of numerous organizations including the OMJCC (including as President), Brandeis Marin, Jewish Community… Read More

Anna P, Recipient of JFCS Educational Loans and Grants, Found Herself on the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Outbreak When Anna P received the JFCS educational loans and grants that allowed her to attend the University of Massachusetts, she never would have believed that she would enter the nursing field just as COVID-19 had begun its spread, in the epicenter of the pandemic, in a public hospital in New York City. Anna, whose family emigrated to the Bay Area from Ukraine when she was a child, moved to New York after college. After some career exploration, she discovered her true… Read More

Natacha Kolb, who lives in Marin with her husband Marc and their two young children, continues a distinguished family history of dedication to JFCS’ work in the community. Natacha’s mother-in-law Susan Kolb is a dear friend of the organization, a highly respected community leader, and a notable former JFCS Board President. Marc’s grandmother Hannah Kolb was also deeply involved as a JFCS supporter and a leader of the Jewish community. Natacha, who grew up in Brussels and Paris, was introduced to the agency by her mother-in-law almost two decades ago, when she moved to the US. Having just completed law… Read More