Make a difference every month
People donate to JFS for all sorts of reasons—perhaps it’s to honor a person who made a difference in their life, or they want to be a part of something meaningful. Whatever the motivation, our donors are part of a community that shapes JFS’s future and helps meet the challenges facing 21st century Coloradans.
Five tips for sending kids back to school
While the start of the school year ushers in new beginnings that can be exciting, it can also be overwhelming. JFS KidSuccess Program Manager Lisa Ricon offers tips on preparing for the academic year, easing into a new routine, and (hopefully) making days less stressful.
Backpack Bonanza lets kids know we’ve got their backs
As the cost-of-living increases and caregivers struggle to afford all the essentials for kids’ first day of school, including a backpack, 15-year-old Hannah Kutnick has worked to erase the need at-risk children face starting the school year without backpacks and school supplies with her Backpack Bonanza Drive. Over the years, Hannah’s compassion has helped fill 2,430 backpacks.
Rapid re-housing creates stability
The JFS Rapid Re-housing program reduces homelessness in the Denver metro area by quickly moving individuals and families into permanent housing by providing housing identification, financial and supportive service, and ongoing personal support and success planning. Our housing navigators work with clients to help them choose homes to meet their lifestyle and ensure that they don’t become homeless again—clients like Juan.
Join JFS For a Family-Friendly Concert Featuring a Special Solo Acoustic Performance by Nathaniel Rateliff
You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to support the life-changing work of JFS at their inaugural family-friendly event—JFS Family Concert: Rocking Colorado for 150 Years. This concert will celebrate JFS’s 150th anniversary and feature a special solo acoustic performance by Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff.
Erase the need with backpacks and supplies—it’s a school thing
All kids should start the school year with the supplies they need to help them be successful in school—and you can help them thrive.
As the cost of living increases and caregivers struggle to afford school supplies, you can help JFS provide more than 400 backpacks filled with school supplies to kids at our Lunchbox Express program sites! Donating $50.00 provides all the essentials for kids’ first day of school, including a backpack. You have the power to help boost confidence, promote learning, and encourage success for students in our community—and show them we’ve got their backs!
Finding career success with JFS Employment Services
Whether you’re unemployed or looking for a career change, the process can be daunting. However, the Employment Services department is ready to make the job hunt easier with free virtual workshops, trainings, and support groups to help you re-enter the workforce. The team can also help you achieve your employment goals by providing one-on-one customized career development services, which is how Laura found her new job.
Good thymes in our garden
JFS’s Arts and Community Exploration program (ACE) focuses on the whole person, community involvement, and integration, with activities tailored to each participant’s needs and unique personality and centers around healthy lifestyles and mindfulness through art, exercise, and nutrition. With our recent move to Calvary Baptist Church, we’re able to expand the programs and services we offer to our participants, including having an outdoor space for a garden, which is just about to sprout.
Finding support after a tragedy
It’s difficult to imagine going out of town and returning to find your home—your entire neighborhood—decimated by a wildfire, but that’s exactly what Julie and her family experienced in late December when the Marshall Fire roared through their Louisville community. However, throughout the turmoil, Julie shared stories about the acts of kindness and grace she experienced from people and organizations, including JFS, who stepped up in so many ways.
Refugee Mental Health team offered a therapeutic wellness group for recently arrived refugee students
The JFS Refugee Mental Health program provides specialized, culturally sensitive, compassionate mental health care and support services for refugees and immigrants of all ages, faiths, ethnicities, and countries of origin. Last April, the Refugee Mental Health team started a new therapeutic wellness group for recently arrived refugee students at Denver’s South High School to give students a space to feel comfortable sharing their experiences and expressing themselves in a welcoming and safe environment.
Lunchbox Express is BACK!
JFS’s Lunchbox Express program adapted to accommodate COVID-19 health and safety guidelines for the past two years. With restrictions lifting, we’re excited to welcome children back to our traditional service model. When schools let out for summer, families who rely heavily on school-based free and reduced-price lunch programs can turn to the Lunchbox Express program to receive nutritionally balanced lunches.
2022 Lunchbox Express Schedule
FREE Lunches for Kids! Lunchbox Express, a program of Jewish Family Service, provides free lunches to children during the summer when they don’t have access to free or reduced-fee lunches in their schools. Meals are provided at 13 sites throughout the Denver metro area via vans and one static site.
Free meals are available Monday through Friday. No service on July 4.
Economic Vulnerability in the Jewish Community
The 2018-2019 Greater Denver Jewish Community Study is the most recent compilation of data around economic vulnerability in the Jewish community. Over 2,500 Jewish households in metro Denver and the Boulder region participated in the survey which provides an in-depth look at the area’s Jewish population, demographic composition, philanthropy and volunteering practices, community engagement levels, connection to Jewish life, and more.
Help shape the future of JFS
Thanks to the vision and substantial commitment of those who came before us, JFS has evolved to meet the needs of those who rely on us most for 150 years. Without their support and generosity, JFS would not be the vital resource it is today. Now, we hope it’s time for you to consider your legacy.
Make mental health a priority
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, fighting stigma, and supporting the estimated one million Coloradans with mental health conditions and their families. It is also a time to check in with yourself and ask if you or your loved ones need additional support, want to make healthier choices, and are the best version of yourself?
Finding a path to meet community needs
It’s easy to list how the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected us, but there have been unexpected benefits. At JFS, for example, we found new ways to connect with people throughout our community, identified ways to adjust our programs to be still able to help people, and became even more aware of the importance of meeting their needs . Whether barriers were related to Covid-19 or just illuminated by the crisis, the Aging Care and Connections team continues to find ways to serve the older adult population better.
JFS Family Concert: Rocking Colorado for 150 years
JFS is hosting its inaugural family-friendly event—JFS Family Concert: Rocking Colorado for 150 Years at Mission Ballroom, and you’re invited! This concert will honor and celebrate JFS’s 150th anniversary and feature a special solo acoustic performance by Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff. This multigenerational event is sure to be a crowd-pleaser you don’t want to miss!
Volunteers needed for the Boulder Jewish Festival
Join JFS Boulder at the 25th annual Boulder Jewish Festival on Sunday, June 12. Volunteers are needed at the JFS booth to help set up, work the booth, and tear down at the end of the event.
Celebrating Passover throughout our Boulder community
This year, senior community residents in the Boulder County area welcomed a traditional observance of Passover with both JFS Boulder volunteer para chaplains and local Rabbi’s leading services and returning to in-person experiences.
Marshall Fire response
The JFS Boulder team has responded to unprecedented community need from the Marshall Fire. Since December 30, 2021, we have responded to 344 applications, representing 944 individuals. Read how this extraordinary team is making a powerful impact throughout the community.