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JFCS of the Suncoast is on the Move!
March 2023 Newsletter
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Message From Our President & CEO | |
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Shalom Chaverim (Hello Friends),
Eight weeks in and loving every minute! Much appreciation goes out to members of the community who have met with me as well as the staff who have graciously embraced new leadership. There are lots of positive things going on at JFCS as we continue to reach out to new clients and work with existing clients, not only to assist, serve, and educate, but also to lend a helping hand and comforting words. Thanks to all the staff who work directly with our clients in each of the programs – you make a difference every day!
I want to share a news alert. An exciting new initiative is rolling out. We have begun our new branding campaign – being good means doing good. Our ads focus on a person in need with the header, Think Everything's Good? The copy and photos are quite compelling and certainly capture one’s attention. These ads will be in magazines and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, as well as on local TV stations and social media. Our goal is to raise awareness, which will spark interest to learn more about our programs and eventually turn friends into donors.
To this end, I am also doing a listening tour. My goal is to meet 100 people in 100 days! So far, I’ve met over 70! My conversations have been engaging, informative, and stimulating. I have learned so much as well as had the opportunity to share our vision as we embark on new ways to communicate the impressive and life-altering work we do day in and day out.
Speaking to people one on one or in small groups has tremendous impact as it gives one the chance to dialogue and share stories. Please help me tell our story! Talk about JFCS to your friends, colleagues, or anyone you might meet in your everyday interactions. It will make a difference!
Each and every one of you is our ambassador. You have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of homeless veterans, children from families dealing with addiction, seniors with dementia as well as their caregivers, families and fathers who need to build healthy relationships, and youth who have had brushes with the law. Just by mentioning JFCS and the incredible work we do can raise awareness in our community. You will be opening doors so we can continue to serve those individuals who need us so desperately.
Please join me in being part of the solution to help eradicate suffering. I promise it will make you feel good by doing good! And remember, we serve all people. In fact, 85% of our clients are not Jewish. According to Jewish tradition, saving a life is as if you have saved the world. Help me get our message out! You will be the difference you want to see in the world!
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JFCS' Annual Report covering last fiscal year's achievements is now available.
In the report, you will read about our accomplishments, see how your donations have made an impact, learn about whom we helped through a variety of programs, and much more. Please be sure to read the moving stories and watch the touching videos featuring clients whose lives were vastly improved through their participation in programs aimed at veterans, children, families and seniors.
Thank you to everyone who played a role in making 2021-2022 a success!
Click below to see the full report.
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JFCS Launches New Branding | |
The Florida Suncoast is a beautiful place to live. But when was the last time you really looked past the beaches and parks, the shops and restaurants? People here are struggling – to find work, to secure housing, to overcome addiction. It’s not as easy to see, but it’s never far away. Click below to find out how you can help. |
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"Take-a-Look, Buy-a-Book" Book Drive | |
The eighth annual “Take-a-Look, Buy-a-Book” book donation drive is underway to spread the joy of reading to children.
Each year, JFCS collects and distributes nearly 4,000 new books to promote literacy mainly among local children in pre-k through fifth grade. Books are also given to infants and toddlers, as well as older children in middle and high school.
The book drive runs through March 31, 2023. Community members can participate by:
- Delivering or shipping new books for infants through teenagers directly to our main office at 2688 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34237.
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Encouraging organizations, neighborhoods, social clubs, businesses, friends, and other groups to organize a book collection among their members.
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Making a monetary donation online to go toward the purchase of books. To donate, click here and write “Book Drive” in the donor notes section. Thanks to the Louis and Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust, donations up to $500 will be doubled!
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Where Are My Keys? Chorale | |
The spring session of our Where Are My Keys? Chorale starts in March! This choir, led by Key Chorale and Maestro Joseph Caulkins, provides a positive and joyful experience for those living with memory loss and their care partners. The choir uses the irrepressible power of singing to move people to rediscover themselves, make new friends and have fun, all while raising their voices in song. It celebrates the potential of people living with memory loss to experience renewed purpose, happiness and friendship through music. The chorale is a wonderful partnership between the JFCS Aging Services department and Key Chorale.
Dates: Thursdays, March 16 - May 11
Time: 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Where: JFCS, 2688 Fruitville Road, Sarasota
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Our Black History – Our American History | Edwin Robinson, IGNITE Fatherhood Program Facilitator, wrote this moving piece in honor of Black History Month. | |
We have been a part of this American History…
We have been artists, actors, and athletes and airmen.
We have been fighters on the battlefield and fighters in the boxing ring.
We have bent our backs over in the cotton fields and ran, blocked and tackled on a football field.
We have sat in restaurants under signs that said we didn’t belong, and we have stood up and marched on Washington under a dream that said we belong everywhere.
We are scientists, both in the physical and the social.
We are engineers and entertainers and educators.
We are preachers and poets and pop singers.
We have fought in every branch of the armed forces.
We have been dancers and divas and diplomats and democrats.
We are revolutionaries and republicans.
We are magazine editors and we have been millionaires.
We have been mayors and governors. Interesting how a woman named Shirley would be the first black woman to seek the Democratic nomination for President would pave the way for a man named Barack to accept that nomination and become the first black president.
We have changed the course of the world as big as a bus and as small as a peanut.
We have won the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, and the Medal of Freedom, and the Medal of Honor, and the Nobel Peace Prize.
We are Martin, Marcus and Malcolm, X & Q, Walker and Carver, Althea and Arthur and Venus and Serena, Amos & Andy and Andrew, Josephine, James, James Earl and Jamie, Ruby, Rosa, Oprah and Kamala, Poitier, Payton and Prince, Hughes, Hurston and Hussle, Medgar, Maya, Mahalia, Michael and Michelle, Chappie & Colin, Bessie and Beyonce, Billie, Hattie, and Halle, Thurgood, Clarence and Ketanji…
…and we are Stephanie and Sylvia, we are Shirley and Nojia, we are Gerard and Curtis, and we are Eddie and Edwin. (Shout-out to our staff!)
A nod to the great Maya Angelou:
Bringing the gifts that our ancestors gave,
We are the dreams and the hopes of the slave.
We rise.
We rise.
And as long as there is American History, still we rise.
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Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month | |
Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), led by RespectAbility, is observed each year in February. It was founded in 2009 to unite Jewish communities worldwide to raise awareness and champion the rights of all Jews to be accepted and included in all aspects of Jewish and community life like anyone else. Please join us in supporting and elevating the voices of people living with disabilities and mental health conditions.
If you are seeking mental health counseling, JFCS can help, regardless of religion or denomination. For more information on our counseling services, click below.
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Lee County Homeless Service Day & Veteran Stand Down | |
The Lee County Homeless Service Day & Veteran Stand Down, hosted by the Lee County Homeless Coalition, Inc., in partnership with JFCS of the Suncoast, and other county agencies and offices, was held on Jan. 28 in Fort Myers. Participants received help with traffic court, food, hygiene kits, haircuts, medical care, VA benefits, and referrals for substance abuse addictions and mental health counseling.
JFCS staff members with our Operation Military Assistance Program were there to verify veteran status, both for traffic court and for other veteran-related booths at the event.
“One veteran was an existing JFCS client whom I preregistered for the Traffic Court portion of the event, as he had an outstanding fine in Lee County, causing his driver’s license to be suspended. The judge at the event waived the fine and association fees. We then went to the Charlotte County Tax Collector’s Office in Punta Gorda the week following the event, and were able to get his license reinstated! His job prospects now are much improved,” said Marion Putman, OMAP Program Coordinator with Homeless and Prevention Services in Charlotte/DeSoto counties.
Click below to learn more about our veterans' services.
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Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society. Each year since 1987, it has been observed in the U.S. during the month of March. International Women’s Day, held annually on March 8, is a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women.
The National Women's History Alliance designated the 2023 Women's History Month theme as "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." This theme recognizes "women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social media."
Actress Molly McCook said in a Forbes article: "Women should be celebrated every day, but a month dedicated to female empowerment is extremely special. It doesn’t just honor the iconic women who have changed history, but encourages new generations to dream big and know that anything is possible.”
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Do you need help with your federal income taxes? AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is providing FREE tax preparation services, including electronic filing of returns. Tax-Aide provides tax assistance to anyone, free of charge, with a special focus on taxpayers who are over 50 or have a low to moderate income. There are no upper or lower income or age limits for Tax-Aide assistance and there is no requirement to be an AARP member.
Appointments are available at various places, including public library branches in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
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Robin Spiegel, RN:
Helping To Empower Individuals and Families
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By Sandy Chase, JFCS volunteer writer
A JFCS Intake team member, Robin Spiegel reassures naturally. But her compassion for callers shouldn’t be a surprise because the designation after her name is RN. Although most people associate Registered Nurse with those initials, for Robin they mean so much more.
On the front line, she fields voicemails from the homeless, veterans, seniors, and others needing counseling services. After returning the call and listening attentively, she provides the most suitable JFCS programs or community resources.
Robin says, “Many callers request housing and financial assistance because they’re evicted, living in their cars. How can we ignore a national crisis—worsened by Covid and hurricanes!”
She continues: “Callers are from Sarasota and Manatee counties. However, Florida 211 (the first call for help) gives callers the JFCS number, so we receive calls from Charlotte County and other outlying areas.”
Indebted to Sandra Gans’ monthly updating of county manuals, Robin says, “The team shares the latest community resources, reference guides for JFCS programs, and employee lists—serving our callers.”
Sandra, recognized for Organizational Impact: Intake Team (2020), highlights Robin’s dedication by recalling a recent episode: “Robin goes above and beyond, having a natural connection with others. She also serves as a link to other organizations, exemplified by how she helped a recent caller obtain financial assistance for a current medical procedure at Johns Hopkins (Jacksonville).”
Sandra explains: “After establishing trust, Robin learned about the caller’s past experience at Johns Hopkins. Having researched possible financial assistance, she connected the caller with the hospital’s financial-aid advisor who helped her complete the application and obtain critical funding.”
Another award recipient, Dr. Jerry Fleischer, a retired clinical psychologist, attests to the team’s gratitude: “Since joining a year ago, Robin brings compassion, knowledge of seniors, organizational skills, and administrative abilities, as we continue to expand our ranks.”
A role model, Robin also trained a few “intakers” at her home while the intake office was remote.
“I miss the ‘office cooler’ interactions and being part of the everyday/inner workings at JFCS. Thanks to two knowledgeable intake volunteers who are setting up shop, we’ll be returning to JFCS should we choose.”
Robin’s career—from floor nursing to healthcare research to geriatric care management—is the foundation on which her volunteering thrives. Medical Coding and Care Management certifications bolster her research skills, which are needed at JFCS and other nonprofits.
Relocating from Georgia, Robin chose the Suncoast’s JFCS because its community outreach philosophy is similar to that of Atlanta’s Jewish Family and Career Services, where she volunteered. “As a Sarasota newcomer, I have much to learn about local counties, governments, and resources so I can help promote the JFCS mission.”
Robin’s volunteering extends to The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Meals on Wheels, the Van Wezel (usher), and the Jewish Hospice Support and Tidewell Hospice Committee.
Rabbi Mimi Weisel, a fellow member of the collaborative hospice committee, echoes others: “Robin strengthens the committee by being dedicated to the project, taking creative initiative. Reliable, organized, and articulate, she shares her expertise for the benefit of others.”
Robin volunteers because “I enjoy the mental challenge, connection, and research. I’ve been fortunate that I haven’t had a financial need and can give back to the community.”
Other enjoyment includes reading, exercising, and playing pickleball, cards, and mahjong.
Robin encourages others to donate time and money to nonprofits, saying, “JFCS needs Intake volunteers and funding for its numerous programs.”
She’s beholden to the JFCS Intake team, praising her role models: “They’re extraordinary retired professionals who are kindhearted, resourceful, and committed.”
In essence, she’s defined herself.
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About JFCS of the Suncoast: As one of the Florida Suncoast’s leading mental health and human services agencies, JFCS offers programs that support youth, families, seniors and veterans. Inspired by the Jewish tradition of helping all people, services are delivered on a non-denominational basis with the goal of empowering individuals and families toward self-sufficiency and stability. For more information, call (941) 366-2224 or click on the link below. | | | | |
