News & Impact

Steven, a professional architect and father, first called JFCS when his medical issues became debilitating. He had lost his job and to make matters worse, he and his wife had just divorced. With these major life stressors, Steven’s health further deteriorated and his savings was spent paying bills and child support. At 52 he says, “I had been totally self-sufficient my whole life, until I had these health issues.” Since calling JFCS, Steven has benefited from the food pantry and food vouchers, rental assistance, and, most importantly, case management. The JFCS Clinical Care Team has been his advocate and… Read More

Do you share your life with a friendly well-trained dog? JFCS’ Canine Corps help seniors live safer, healthier, more independent lives in their own homes. By working with seniors, volunteers have the opportunity to help them remain independent, while building meaningful relationships. Pets often bring out the best in people. This program provides an opportunity for seniors to experience the benefits of human-animal interaction. Here’s how to become a JFCS Canine Corps volunteer: To get started first fill out the online JFCS Volunteer Application and check the “Canine Companions” interest box. A JFCS Volunteer Coordinator will reach out to answer… Read More

Who can help isolated seniors with dementia or cognitive impairments to make decisions about their care? What are the complicated ethical issues that doctors face in aiding their patients to die? When it comes to medical treatment what does “do no harm” mean? These are just some of the thorny questions that have been raised by the San Francisco city-wide Bioethics Forum convened by JFCS. As a leader in the field, JFCS brings local experts together to discuss the tough ethical issues that arise in senior and palliative care. JFCS’ Seniors At Home is known for providing the most innovative… Read More

As a single mother with Multiple Sclerosis, Meira found that raising her daughter was becoming an increasing challenge. When she called JFCS, she was virtually homebound and was struggling with meal preparation and getting her daughter off to school. To complicate matters, Meira’s daughter had been diagnosed with a learning disability and Meira, unable to drive, did not know how she would get to the after-school specialist, let alone to her own medical appointments. People with disabilities often need assistance to help them achieve and maintain optimal levels of well-being and self-sufficiency. JFCS case managers start by completing a detailed… Read More

This summer 58 high school students from San Francisco, the Peninsula and Marin County participated in JFCS’ YouthFirst six-week internship program. They were placed in all kinds of offices—from a private dentist practice to an engineering firm—as well as at JFCS itself. The program recently concluded with all teens agreeing that it was a fantastic experience. Courting a Career Three years ago as a rising sophomore, Steve Dvorkin was a summer intern at JFCS where he performed administrative and organizational office tasks. The experience was so positive that the 18-year-old returned again this summer. This time he was assigned to… Read More

“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh) –  We all want our children to be kind. In fact we find ourselves stunned and embarrassed when we witness them being anything but kind. But childhood is a series of growth lessons and learning to be kind is one such milestone. We all assume our children know what being kind means, however it is important to define it for them and discuss it just as you would any other value that’s important to you. So what is the definition of kindness? According to… Read More