News & Impact

Seniors At Home is celebrating 25 years of providing home care services! As the largest provider in Northern California, we know how hard it can be to find the perfect match. So many in our expanding population of elderly and disabled urgently need care. But, unfortunately we’ve seen some alarming trends as people choose unlicensed caregivers for themselves or family members. UCLA recently published a report on the unregulated home care industry asking,  “Who is minding the people who are minding our elders?” “Most of us don’t realize that unless caregivers are part of an agency, no one is… Read More

The first day of school, your son has a tummy ache. You take his temperature, but you already know that what’s really ailing him is another common childhood ailment: school phobia. “Many children experience extreme anxiety when they enter new situations—new schools, teachers, classmates, and academic challenges,” says Mimi Ezray, LCSW, MPH, Coordinator of Children’s Clinical Services at Peninsula Parents Place. “Understand that trying to avoid school is not unusual and there are many effective strategies to help ease and manage their fears,” says Mimi. In addition to offering your children emotional support, reassuring them, and addressing their… Read More

We need volunteers to assist with shopping. Please join us! For some, shopping isn’t just a fun outing. It’s also a life-affirming experience that brings meaning to their lives. That’s how Marin County JFCS volunteers Zhenya Fridman and Judy Barr see it. Zhenya and Judy are both members of JFCS’ Special Delivery Grocery Program–volunteers who shop weekly at a local grocery store and then deliver needed items to the homes of JFCS clients who can no longer get to the supermarket themselves. “I have elderly parents myself, so I know how difficult it can be for people to take care… Read More

“When did you lose your virginity?” Don’t be surprised if your son or daughter asks you that or another intimate question. “It’s often a sign of a warm, open family dynamic when your children come to you with questions about sex and sexuality,” says John Gusman, LCSW, Marin Parents Place Clinical Director. “The key is to take advantage of the opportunity to have a good conversation. “Many of us,” John continues, “come from families in which our parents would or could not have these conversations with us, so the subject of intimacy continues to be shrouded in embarrassment or shame.… Read More

Cleanerific, JFCS’ social enterprise, is not only receiving rave reviews from the many customers who use the green-friendly cleaning service to keep their homes and offices sparkling clean. Cleanerific’s employees, including Maria Linares, appreciate its mission: providing training, employment, medical benefits, and support so that they can become independent and advance in their lives. Maria is singlehandedly raising three children, including a 7-year-old with medical problems. It can be challenging, but Cleanerific helps ease the burden. It pays her a living wage, provides full benefits, and treats her with kindness and care. “They are very understanding,” Maria says of… Read More

As small business owners who have seen their own enterprises grow over the years, Vlad and Sandra Shmunis have a particular affection for budding entrepreneurs who are trying to get a good start in life. That’s why they have invested in JFCS’ Financial Aid Center, which offers assistance to young, promising upstarts in the Bay Area. “We’re big believers in helping those who are helping themselves,” says Sandra, “and we wanted to invest in a program that is already well established so that we didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. In addition, we have a great deal of respect for… Read More