News & Impact

For many of us, the holiday season is a time of comfort, celebration and joy. But for individuals and families in need, this time of year can prove particularly difficult or lonely. JFCS volunteers are gathering together to lovingly provide gifts, meals and comfort to the members of our community who need it most. If you’re looking to give back this holiday season, join us for any of three festive volunteering opportunities that everyone in the family can take part in. Volunteer Thanksgiving Weekend at St. Anthony’s Did you know that one in five adults in San Francisco struggles to… Read More

JFCS board member, Lisa Bardin has been instrumental in supporting our community through giving to JFCS, serving as a wonderful ambassador, and being a co-chair of JFCS’ popular Fammy Awards Gala. Lisa sets the example for her family and our community by being a true JFCS mensch—a person of integrity and honor who does the right thing by helping others. After a long and successful career on Wall Street as a Portfolio Manager, Lisa made aliyah and she and her husband, Noam, moved to Tel Aviv in 2003. Her daughter, Shai, was born there two months later and Mika was… Read More

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

Bob joined JFCS’ Board in 2014 with great enthusiasm. Since 1999 he has been an active volunteer in the Jewish community—putting his values into practice, and sharing his passion for helping those in need. He says, his favorite sentence is, ‘How can I help?’” Tell us a bit about the community where you grew up. My Father and his parents fled Vienna in 1940. Arriving at Ellis Island they were given the choice of moving to St. Louis or San Francisco. They chose St. Louis because it was closer to the East Coast. I moved to San Francisco in 1977… Read More