JFCS held its annual meeting last week. Each year we hold this event to share news and accomplishments with our friends and supporters. This year the meeting was held at This is Red, a creative services agency that has taken over the old St. Michael’s Slovak Roman Catholic Church in Homestead. The space has been transformed into offices and gathering places with the huge sanctuary being a perfect spot – metaphorically and physically – for our meeting. Nearly 200 people attended: thank you for your continued interest and support!
The tragic events from last October were still on our minds. Hence the evening’s theme: The Power of Together. Board President Dr. Matthew Keller spoke about the “Power of Together” in the days following the tragedy: “For those of you here that do not know, we are the local HIAS affiliate. Our work was the battle cry of October 27th’s tragedy…Our refugee communities were shaken on October 27th. And still they turned to us and offered their help and support in our time of need.”
Dr. Keller also made mention of other yearly activities and achievements, each a step toward more outreach and service. JFCS Counseling Services has led continuous community support and counseling services since October 27th to help our community heal. The JFCS Refugee and Immigrant Services department is resettling more refugees this year. JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry responded to January’s government shutdown with the help of a community-wide food drive. JFCS Career Development Center implemented a Mental Health First Aid effort in collaboration with JFCS Counseling Services. JFCS Senior Services piloted AgeWell Reads and is on target to make over 60 library visits this year. JFCS Immigration Legal Services collaborated with four foundations to expand service locations throughout the region. And JFCS Guardianship Services was awarded an Adult Protective Services contract to support adults with physical or mental impairment who have been victimized and experienced abuse, neglect, exploitation and abandonment.
Jeff Finkelstein, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, and Brian Schreiber, CEO of the Jewish Community Center, also spoke about our community’s response to October 27th. They reiterated a point others had made over the last year, that because these agencies already had such a strong collaborative relationship, because partnership is a bedrock of our shared history, our response to October 27th was immediate and sustaining. Truly the Power of Together.
As Dr. Keller said, JFCS has led community support and counseling efforts since October 27th, and we will continue to do so as long as needed. Experts have told us that there will be many days in the future – anniversaries, birthdays and holidays – that will open wounds. We will be here for you.
JFCS’s work with refugees and immigrants is well known. The Power of Together shows us over and over that we are stronger when all are welcome. When we help others succeed, the entire community flourishes. It was our honor to welcome Eduardo Escobar, an immigrant from Venezuela. He spoke of leaving his country when the situation there became so bad he could not get work. He said that the process of gaining residency, his eventual citizenship and finally permission for his son to join him was hard and complicated. And that he was grateful to JFCS Legal Immigration services for helping him each step of the way. “I am so grateful for the way my life is today. I am grateful to God and to all the people here who helped us,” he said.
Another highlight of the evening was the photography exhibit. JFCS Immigration Legal Services staffer Megan Walker, who is both a lawyer and professional photographer, shot a series of portraits of JFCS clients from different departments that were displayed at this year’s meeting. Faces of clients young and old with a variety of challenges and changes show the human face of JFCS and its mission. If you missed seeing them, they will be on display at JFCS offices on Bartlett Street.
And though the dark event of October 27th has made an indelible mark on all of us, President and CEO Jordan Golin closed the evening with more hopeful words:
“We can all agree that this year has been harder than most. And while each of us must experience our own unique journey, it’s important for us to not only feel the pain and the sadness of our recent challenges but also to give ourselves permission to once again find joy and happiness. It is important to celebrate the many good things that happen along the way. I came here tonight to celebrate. To celebrate our staff, our board, our volunteers, our clients and our community.”
The JFCS Annual Meeting brings together supporters, donors, staff, clients, volunteers and other well-wishers to take stock of the year’s activities, and it’s a time for JFCS to acknowledge our gratitude to all who contributed to our success in any way. The Power of Together is what makes JFCS strong and effective. The Power of Together is YOU. Thank you for being a supporter of JFCS. Take a look at our 2019 Annual Meeting slideshow – enjoy!
Photos: JFCS President & CEO Dr. Jordan Golin and Board President Dr. Matthew Keller; JFCS Annual Meeting at This is Red; Venezuelan immigrant Eduardo Escobar
Photos: Erica Deitz: ericadietzphotography.com