At the end of every year we take time to reflect on the accomplishments of our agency, the work ahead of us and most importantly, the value of our generous and thoughtful donors, friends, funders, volunteers and community partners. With your help and support, so much of the work we accomplish in our community is possible.
This year, through the work and support of our staff, board, donors, funders, volunteers and community members, JF&CS helped more than 8,000 individuals.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the United Way of Allegheny County, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, the many foundations and government agencies, corporate and community partners, donors and supporters who have championed and invested in the work of JF&CS this year–and for so many years before that. And we would like to thank everyone who opened up their hearts this year and chose to generously support our work at JF&CS in so many ways.
As we reflect on this year, we are so grateful that JF&CS has been the recipient of so much generosity, which has allowed us to accomplish so much for our community members in need. We have so much to be proud of.
Selected 2013 Highlights
- JF&CS received the Alfred W. Wishart Jr. Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management.
- JF&CS was named one of Pittsburgh’s best places to work by both the Pittsburgh Business Times and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, awarded based on employee feedback.
- JF&CS staff received multiple awards for professional excellence; Aryeh Sherman, JF&CS President & CEO (Pittsburgh Business Times’ Diamond Award for Outstanding CEO Leadership), Leslie Aizenman , director of refugee services (Nelson Mandela Leadership and Diversity Award AND Islamic Center of Pittsburgh 2013 Humanity Day Honoree) and Alla Puchinsky, refugee caseworker (Pennsylvania State Refugee Resettlement Program Excellence in Service Award).
- Community collaborations like JF&CS’s WorkAble partnership through our Career Development Center, North Hills Community Outreach and South Hills Interfaith Ministries helped us reach more individuals across Allegheny County and address a diverse set of unmet employment needs in our community.
- The AgeWell collaboration of JF&CS, the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Association on Aging continued to provide information and referral services, programs, resources and support for older adults and their loved ones.
- JF&CS’s guardianship department served 122 wards this past year. All were placed in appropriate housing, and 23 were successfully placed in a work program.
- At Squirrel Hill Psychological Services, our Quest summer therapeutic program doubled enrollment from the previous summer, and 33 children strengthened their social and emotional abilities in a fun, camp-like environment.
- Our Older Adults department began providing a new evidence-based, cognitive enhancement service to older adults. The UCLA Memory Training Program teaches skills for strengthening memory, and we will soon be running groups in several locations around Pittsburgh.
- Through Immigration Legal Services, our staff has assisted more than 80 green card holders successfully apply for citizenship.
- JF&CS’s Squirrel Hill Community Food Pantry has distributed more than 197,633 pounds of food to date.
- 15 children have found forever homes through adoption thanks to the dedicated work of our Family Hope Connection staff.
- Financial aid through the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Central Scholarship & Loan Referral Service program, administered by JF&CS and JF&CS’s Sarah & Tena Goldstein Memorial Fund, was awarded to 204 area Jewish students to pursue higher education.
We are eternally grateful for the many gifts of volunteer time, money and goods that came our way this year in support of the many departments and programs of JF&CS. Whether we are helping a family in need put food on their table, finding a forever home for a child through Family Hope Connection, helping an older adult maintain the highest level of independence and remain in their home safely for as long as possible or helping people get back to work at the Career Development Center, every one of us at JF&CS is committed to improving lives – every day, for every client – and we thank you for helping us to deliver on that promise.
We look forward to partnering with you again in 2014, as we continue our necessary and impactful work for individuals and families throughout Pittsburgh.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a happy New Year!