News & Impact

Adolescence is a time when children and parents begin to spend less time together. It is a time when teens begin to develop their independence, understand their place in the world, and begin to work out their own values and beliefs. It can be especially challenging to connect with teens who may seem like they don’t want anything to do with you. And with busy schedules it can be all too easy to share the same space with another family member without really connecting. Your child still needs a strong relationship with you to feel safe and secure as they… Read More

From the first day of life humans are social beings. Upon a separation from a caregiver a baby rightfully senses danger and their nervous system pumps hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline through the body to activate the flight or fight response. Separation anxiety at this age of development is not just common, but expected. While the purpose and function of anxiety is to trigger our nervous system to respond, adapt, and survive a dangerous situation, our response systems can misfire. We can cause a “false alarm” to our nervous system when we misperceive an experience or situation as dangerous when it… Read More

Services for individuals with disabilities are not always easy to find and while some organizations are reducing their services, JFCS offers one of the most comprehensive programs for individuals with disabilities and their families in Northern California. The determined young woman, Nona Miloslavsky, is living out her dreams while getting the support she needs to thrive. She was recently honored at JFCS’ Fammy Awards Gala. Nona Miloslavsky is a spirited and determined young woman who has benefited from JFCS’ People with Disabilities Program. When Nona was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder at age six, her parents knew that… Read More

Maysie, 6, and Kendra, 14, are sisters living on the Peninsula. Last year was a very hard year for Kendra. Right when she started high school, a friend in her circle committed suicide and Kendra suddenly wasn’t doing well socially or academically. Alarmed, her parents, Elisa and Daniel, contacted JFCS’ Parents Place for help. Elisa wasn’t new to Parents Place; she had visited many times when Maysie, who has Down Syndrome, was a toddler. “Dan and I thought we had been through the worst after Maysie was born and I went through post partum depression, but it was horrible seeing… Read More

Increasingly we rely on technology, email, voicemail, Facebook, Snapchat, and texting to communicate with others. It is not uncommon for groups of children and teens to gather for a social outing only to be found looking at their phones and not at one another. Our level of engagement and the way we spend time with one another is changing rapidly and with great consequences. One of the main reasons young children held my attention for decades is because of their keen ability to engage us with creative, entertaining, and very humorous, conversation. The way that children weave their colorful stories… Read More

There’s nothing like nuzzling with a friendly, four-legged creature that has plenty of unconditional love to share. Scientific and empirical evidence indicates that animals offer comfort and joy to isolated seniors battling with depression. While numerous pet therapy programs exist, JFCS’ Canine Corps program is unique because it fosters ongoing and meaningful three-way relationships between clients, volunteers, and their dogs. Barking up the Right Tree For eight years JFCS has been matching trained canine companions and their owners with clients in San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma County, and the Peninsula. Like many JFCS initiatives, the program is designed to help the… Read More