News & Impact

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

As a single mother with Multiple Sclerosis, Meira found that raising her daughter was becoming an increasing challenge. When she called JFCS, she was virtually homebound and was struggling with meal preparation and getting her daughter off to school. To complicate matters, Meira’s daughter had been diagnosed with a learning disability and Meira, unable to drive, did not know how she would get to the after-school specialist, let alone to her own medical appointments. People with disabilities often need assistance to help them achieve and maintain optimal levels of well-being and self-sufficiency. JFCS case managers start by completing a detailed… Read More

This summer 58 high school students from San Francisco, the Peninsula and Marin County participated in JFCS’ YouthFirst six-week internship program. They were placed in all kinds of offices—from a private dentist practice to an engineering firm—as well as at JFCS itself. The program recently concluded with all teens agreeing that it was a fantastic experience. Courting a Career Three years ago as a rising sophomore, Steve Dvorkin was a summer intern at JFCS where he performed administrative and organizational office tasks. The experience was so positive that the 18-year-old returned again this summer. This time he was assigned to… Read More

Ian’s work with JFCS spans nearly three decades, including being one of JFCS’ longest serving board members. Since first joining the Finance Committee, his relationship with JFCS has blossomed immeasurably; his compassion and big heart have inspired so many in our community. Ian says, “I’ve had broad involvement with the Jewish community with many other agencies and synagogues, but I found my home at JFCS.” Tell us a little bit about where you grew up and your background. I grew up in Albany, New York. My parents were active in the Jewish community and we are all still very close.… Read More