News & Impact

San Francisco Chronicle By Jilma L. Meneses and Anita Friedman While there are many issues plaguing our immigration system, there is one inequality that we as a nation must resolve with urgency. Passing the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act will create a long overdue pathway to citizenship for undocumented youth who were brought to our country as children and know no other home. Time is running out. There are approximately 700,000 young people who are facing the loss of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protections. Of those, about 200,000 DACA recipients are in California alone,… Read More

Moving from Emergency Response to Long-Term Recovery Two months have passed since fires swept through the North Bay, leaving in their wake incredible destruction and thousands homeless, jobless, and emotionally scarred. JFCS hit the ground running, working to support the community. Thanks to generous donations from supporters like you, our Sonoma County office has become a community hub where individuals and families are receiving the services they need to re-build their lives and heal. Thank you for your help! Emergency Response and Ramping Up In the initial weeks after the fires JFCS staff witnessed survivors in shock. Over 250 families… Read More

The Press Democrat By Meg McConahey FAUX FLAMES MAY BE A GOOD IDEA FOR THE FIRE-TRAUMATIZED THIS YEAR It’s the season of soft light, when candles are flickering and hearth fires roaring. But in the aftermath of October’s firestorms, which destroyed thousands of homes in Sonoma County and shrouded the air with heavy smoke for days, many people may find themselves looking warily at those flames that used to symbolize cozy comfort and peace. “Fire has been one of those things that keeps us warm and has always had positive memories,” said Diana Klein, director of the Sonoma County Regional… Read More

“I want to die with dignity.” Nora is a client of Jewish Family and Children’s Services whose story and strength I find inspiring. She has not only survived the Holocaust, she’s outlived her husband and son. Now, at 93, she’s been diagnosed with cancer. When Nora reached out to JFCS, she tearfully said she hadn’t spoken to anyone in two weeks and that getting around on her own was painful. With no living relatives and only a small fixed income to pay her bills, Nora needs our help. “I was 17 years old when the Nazis took us from our… Read More

Newly appointed Board member David Kiachko is known for his warmth and passion for elevating awareness about causes that impact the Jewish community. After nearly two decades on the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) he is looking forward to also contributing his vast expertise to the JFCS Board. Having spent his childhood overseas and then working in international trade in Korea, he settled in the Bay Area and in the field of finance, specializing in options trading. David is also a member of JFCS’ Marin Major Gifts Committee and Public Issues Committee and says, “There are only a few organizations… Read More

For Immediate Release: October 9, 2017 SAN FRANCISCO – Jewish Family and Children’s Services, one of the largest and oldest charitable institutions in the Bay Area has a received a grant of $250,000 from Tipping Point Community to support its emergency aid to victims of the North Bay fires. The generous grant will be a welcome addition to JFCS’ Disaster Assistance Fund and will be used to help low-income families and individuals get back on their feet after the fires. “The North Bay fires hurt thousands, but especially those who were already struggling paycheck to paycheck,” said Dr. Anita Friedman,… Read More