Gathering as a community: JFCS Annual Meeting Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2026 Annual Meeting! The evening was filled with powerful reminders that it takes all of us working together to create meaningful impact. Thank you to our speakers—Donna Doebler, Alliyah Kimbrough, Kiara Higgins, Vic Walczak,…Read More
May News at JFCS
JFCS Immigration Legal Services Wins Statewide Award JFCS is proud to announce that our Immigration Legal Services Department has been honored with the 2026 Pennsylvania Bar Association Immigration Pro Bono Award! This award recognizes individuals and organizations that enhance access to justice for vulnerable immigrant communities by delivering critical legal…Read More
April News at JFCS
Dear Friends, Happy Passover! We hope you are having a wonderful holiday. Many of us gathered around our Seder tables last week and recounted the story of Passover, remembering how our ancestors were once strangers in a new land, fleeing oppression in search of safety, dignity, and a better life…Read More
March News at JFCS
JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry Prepares for Spring Holidays With Ramadan underway and Passover quickly approaching, the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry has been busy filling the shelves with important holiday staples so every family can have a full and meaningful celebration without the burden of food insecurity. After months…Read More
February News at JFCS
Dear friends, Many of you are aware of the escalating immigration enforcement activity across the nation, most recently in Minnesota. Our immigrant neighbors have been targeted with increasingly aggressive enforcement tactics that, in many cases, have turned violent and even deadly. In addition, refugees, who have already completed a rigorous…Read More
January News at JFCS
Honoring People Who Make JFCS Extraordinary At JFCS, our strength has always come from the people who choose to serve our community with compassion, expertise, and unwavering commitment. This month, we’re proud to highlight three individuals whose leadership and dedication embody the very best of who we are. Honoring Kannu…Read More
USCIS Reduces Maximum Validity Period of Employment Authorization for Some Categories
On December 4, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the reduction of the maximum validity period for initial and renewal Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for several categories of noncitizens. Who does this impact? Noncitizens admitted as refugees Noncitizens granted asylum Noncitizens granted withholding of deportation or removal Noncitizens with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal Noncitizens with pending applications for…Read More
November News at JFCS
JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry Rooted In Community De to rising food costs, unexpected hardships, and SNAP cuts, many neighbors are turning to the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry. During this challenging time, we are reminded, every day, that food is not just a basic need; it’s the foundation of…Read More
October News at JFCS
JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry: Nourishing Community for 25 Years 25 years ago, with the support from the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, the Kosher SuperPantry began with a few shelves and a big mission: no one in our community should go hungry. Today, the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry serves over 1,000 households every…Read More
September News at JFCS
JFCS Rapid Response Protects Unaccompanied Children Over Labor Day weekend, the JFCS Immigration Legal Services team and ACLU Pennsylvania worked tirelessly to protect Guatemalan children in the region from immediate deportation. A national judicial ruling now bars the deportation of these unaccompanied minors from Guatemala for 14 days. These children are survivors of unimaginable trauma and…Read More
August News at JFCS
Thank You For Helping Us Feed Our Neighbors We are incredibly grateful to everyone who donated yesterday during Critical Needs Day. Every dollar raised is more than a donation, it’s a lifeline to nourishment and stability for our community. With your generosity, we raised $9,698 and will be able to provide 29,094…Read More
JFCS Deeply Concerned about Congress Passing the Reconciliation Bill
We are beyond disappointed and concerned by the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which imposes unprecedented cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. These cuts will strip vital healthcare and food assistance from millions of Americans, including children, older adults, immigrants, and people with disabilities. As a longstanding social…Read More
July News at JFCS
Empowered & Equipped: Career Services in Action JFCS staff and participants gathered together to celebrate another successful cohort of the Immigrant Workforce Program. This free program is designed to equip immigrants with knowledge and skills for their journey toward employment in the United States. For 16 sessions over two months, participants learned about…Read More
June News at JFCS
JFCS’ Longstanding Commitment to the Community Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2025 JFCS Annual Meeting! This year brought both extraordinary challenges and extraordinary partnerships. We stood shoulder to shoulder with our community, navigating uncertainty, responding to urgent needs, and drawing strength from our shared purpose. A…Read More
Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community
JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry has been busy! In the past year, the number of people we serve has almost doubled. Our pantry staff and volunteers have really stepped up to keep up with the demand. But efficiency alone doesn’t solve all of our challenges. To keep up with the…Read More
May News at JFCS
Increased Need at the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry Act now! You can support the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry during our Spring Appeal. With the cost of living rising and unexpected expenses hitting our neighbors, more families are finding it harder to make ends meet each day. In the past year,…Read More
April News at JFCS
Your Kindness Can Change Lives: Support the JFCS Spring Appeal The future of the social safety net is uncertain, and changes on the horizon will deeply affect the well-being of the very people we serve in our community. Right now, over 1,700 of our neighbors are facing food insecurity and struggling to…Read More