Program spotlight: JFS Volunteer Services
This month, we’re excited to spotlight our Volunteer Services department. We sat down with JFS Volunteer Services Manager Marissa Greene to learn about this remarkable team and their work throughout JFS and our communities.
Meet our Denver Volunteer of the Year
Since 2011, Fran Cohen has shared more than 1,350 hours of her time volunteering for JFS with her dedication to the ACC Friendly Visitor program, the Weinberg Food Pantry, Bright Holidays, and more. We are honored to announce Fran as this year’s JFS Denver Volunteer of the Year Award recipient. Read about how Fran truly personifies the spirit of JFS.
Repair the World Service Corps and JFS Boulder make an impact
Repair the World strives to pursue a just world through meaningful service and learning. Together with JFS Boulder, community members are making a significant impact in the best possible ways. From bringing Passover joy to older adults to gathering youth volunteer opportunities, good work is being done throughout the community.
Find support with our grief and caregiver counseling groups
The JFS Mental Health department has partnered with clients, families, and the community to create opportunities to achieve emotional wellness and stability, including several support groups. For those dealing with grief and individuals who are caregivers, we offer support groups that guide clients on their wellness journey as they find the support they need.
Building strong social connections
We have two volunteer opportunities to help build connections with older adults and help prevent social isolation—both of which are essential to promoting a healthy lifestyle. Get involved, foster friendships, have fun, and do good throughout our Boulder community!
Ready to hire or ready to work?
Meet hiring managers and recruiters with exciting opportunities from top employers like Walmart, Hyatt, and Denver Public Schools! Explore job openings and apprenticeships in construction, education hospitality, healthcare industries and more.
Program spotlight: JFS Employment Services
Whether an individual is unemployed or looking for a career change, our Employment Services department can help! We offer a variety of workshops, trainings, and support groups to help job seekers re-enter the workforce or find new opportunities.
Arts and Community Exploration (ACE) Program Open House
Whether you're looking to make new friends, explore the community, volunteer, or just have some fun, ACE has something for everyone. Join us at one, or all, of our open houses!
When an Idea Became a Reality, Good Continues to Happen
The JFS Weinberg Food Pantry did not begin because the need for food and other essentials suddenly emerged. Our food pantry started because the need grew beyond what several compassionate Denverites began in 1991 and could manage on their own.
Fostering intergenerational friendships and reducing loneliness
If you are looking for a way to make a real impact on the life of a local person, consider joining our Friendly Visitor program. Friendly visitors are matched with an older adult or an adult with a disability for weekly visits or phone calls.
Letter from the CEO
It’s impossible to watch the news and not hear stories about how school districts in metro Denver (and across the country, for that matter) are seeing an unprecedented surge in the enrollment of migrant students. In the United States, all children are entitled to a public elementary and secondary education regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. And no matter your opinion about the migrant crisis, I hope we all can agree that children who are struggling—innocent children who are here because of the difficult decision their caregivers made to escape political unrest or economic uncertainty—desperately need mental health support to help them cope and heal from the traumas they have experienced.
Advancing Our Community Mental Health Services
For more than 40 years, the JFS Mental Health department has partnered with clients, families, and the community to create opportunities to achieve emotional wellness and stability. With a team of skilled mental health professionals, we are dedicated to helping, improving, and making a difference in the lives of those struggling with mental health issues in the metro Denver area.
We Must Act Against Hunger
Demand for JFS’s onsite and mobile food pantries is at an all-time high, and the number of families in need of food support in Denver continues to grow. Each week more and more families come to JFS for food. We now see an average of 16 new households each pantry day.
So many ways to do good
At JFS, our volunteers use their strengths to make a difference inside of JFS and throughout their community. They step up and find ways to make life better for those who rely on JFS and help us adapt to meet the needs of those facing hardships and challenges. If you would like to join our dedicated volunteer team, we have an opportunity for you!
Welcoming new participants for Arts and Community Exploration
Improving our health and well-being while trying something new is vital for all of us. For adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the JFS Arts and Community Exploration program engages participants in center-based activities and community outings to empower them to learn new skills, develop relationships, and safely engage in their surroundings.
Providing refugees with a new beginning
When David arrived at Denver International Airport from Uganda, his heart was overflowing with gratitude, having been met by JFS staff and reunited with his family, who had resettled here earlier, including his sister, her husband, and their children. Most of all, he was excited about his new life in Colorado. David credits JFS for building a strong foundation for his new life, and he’s excited to share his experiences to help others.
Celebrating IDD Day at the Capitol
Dominque is a long-time participant in our JFS Disability Services program, which offers a variety of support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Denver metro area. On March 20, Dominque will celebrate IDD at the Capitol by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. “I’ve never done anything like this before, but I’ve been practicing,” said Dominque. “I’m excited and nervous at the same time.”
Program spotlight: JFS Disability Services
JFS offers various support services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Denver metro area. We believe relationships and community are critical to the well-being of all adults, and our programs include advocacy, social interaction, recreation, job development, and more—all with a person-centered approach.
How to start a JFS fundraiser on Facebook or Instagram
Did you know that Facebook and Instagram let users create fundraisers to raise money for nonprofit organizations, like JFS? Whether you want to celebrate a birthday, honor a loved one, or do a good deed in your community, you can help JFS make the greatest impact for the greater good when you create a fundraiser. And because your friends are already using social media, it’s a low-fuss, high-impact way to support JFS!
Increase your mental health and emotional well-being
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties with mental health, searching for meaning, or looking for support within a compassionate community, our new, monthly Mental Health Jewish Spiritual Support Group provides a safe, understanding space so you don’t face difficult times alone.