News & Impact

Alix Li is thriving. Since joining JFCS’ Shupin Community and moving into Ady’s Place, she has embraced every opportunity—becoming a regular at yoga and dance, shining at improv night, and, with support from Shupin’s career counselor, landing a new job at a local daycare. Her journey with Shupin began in 2024, when she first connected through virtual events hosted by the Shupin Social Club—JFCS’ social program for neurodivergent young adults. After moving into Ady’s Place in July 2025, Alix Li found herself in a supportive environment where she could build friendships, try new experiences, and grow her confidence. With encouragement… Read More

Betty, a resident of Ady’s Place with the Gary Shupin Independent Living Community describes herself as an introvert. While she finds social settings sometimes challenging, she has always carried a quiet wisdom and when she speaks, her words are thoughtful, eloquent, and full of insight. A year ago, Betty used her voice and decided she wanted to grow in confidence, strengthen her self-advocacy, and build meaningful relationships with her peers. She’s since taken thoughtful, intentional steps towards those goals. With the support of program staff and her Relationship Coach, Betty has embraced opportunities to practice new communication skills. Through steady… Read More

Jewish Family and Children’s Services’ Shupin Social Club participants recently gathered for their annual Passover Seder, continuing a treasured tradition made possible by longtime JFCS supporters Suzanne and Michael Berke. “Our connection to the Shupin Community is very personal,” says Michael. “My niece Lana had special needs. She did not live long enough to enjoy being part of such a warm community. We love supporting services that would have meant so much to her.” Passover is a favorite holiday in Michael’s family. His mother, Elaine Berke, of blessed memory, was an inspiring leader of the community and loved to bring… Read More

Staying on the cutting edge of treatments for people with memory loss and their families is vital for the industry-leading team behind JFCS’ Center for Dementia Care. That’s why, recently, we embarked on a transformative journey to explore what could be the future of Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Joined by colleagues from Rhoda Goldman Plaza—JFCS’ premier assisted living community—our team traveled to Amsterdam for an exclusive and immersive training experience at the Hogeweyk.  Immersive Training with the Hogeweyk The Hogeweyk (pronounced HOH-guh-vaik), established in 2009, is a world-famous memory care community that shares JFCS’ specialized, person-centered philosophy of treatment.… Read More

When several members of the Shupin Social Club were curious about climate change and the floods we were having this past winter, the Shupin Community was inspired to host an event to learn about the weather. A bit of creative Googling yielded a surprising gift: a neurodivergent weatherman in Texas. Meteorologist Jordan Darensbourg is a living example that neurodivergent kids can grow up to be whatever they want to be. Jordan has Asperger’s, which is a rare form of autism, and he uses this diagnosis to inspire others to go after whatever it is they set their mind to. “I’m… Read More

For decades, Alice took pride in preparing gourmet meals for her husband, Joe. When Alice’s memory declined and she forgot most evenings to cook, Joe didn’t have the heart to raise the issue. Their weight and health began to suffer. Worried, Alice and Joe’s daughters looked for help. A friend at synagogue referred them to JFCS. JFCS’ Center for Dementia Care created a “care circle” for Alice, educating her family, friends, and even her house cleaner about memory loss and how to help. Alice resisted each step in the process, but JFCS built her trust. Finally, Alice accepted that receiving… Read More