Impact Year

“JFCS has helped my family and countless others in times of need,” says Howard S. Hahn, when reflecting on his recent decision to leave a legacy to help others facing hard times. “My parents raised me with Jewish values. Tikkun olam was especially important.” A native of New York City, Howar...

Zhenya Friedman believes that the line between giving and receiving is very thin. For over a decade, Zhenya has dedicated her time to volunteering and helping others, and in that time she has touched countless lives with her warm presence and kind spirit. Yet Zhenya believes that she definitely gets...

Two Stories of Hope and Healing Seven-year-old Maddie didn’t leave her house for an entire year during the pandemic. While her classmates returned to school, Maddie continued learning remotely and recently, everything from schoolwork to getting dressed in the morning has become a painful power str...

None of us know what life is going to throw in our path. For young people who have experienced loss, trauma, a bad medical diagnosis or other difficult life events, hope comes in the form of the  Sandra L. Schnitzer Resilience Fund—a new permanent  Named Endowment Fund of Jewish Family and Chil...

Hannah*, who is 82 and lives alone in San Francisco, was eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine so that she could go out and have some pieces of her pre-pandemic life back. But Hannah doesn’t have wifi or a computer, and like many local seniors who lack access or familiarity with technology, she ...

By Brittney Reiser, AMFT, Child Therapist at JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth Receiving a positive COVID-19 test in your family or community can be frightening for adults and children alike. Young children, who may not fully understand what this diagnosis will mean for them or their loved one, ...