At Every Turn - Society of Life Midyear Newsletter - March 2026
At Every Turn
By the Numbers
Community Health Workers and JFS’s application to become a Federally Qualified Health Center
As we reach the midpoint of the fiscal year, Jewish Family Service of Dallas finds itself in a powerful moment of transition and continuity. Youʼve likely noticed much around us looks new. Whether youʼre looking at our new building, our new logo, or new additions to our service offerings, there are visible symbols of growth and momentum all around us. And yet, at our core, JFS Dallas is more deeply rooted than ever in the values and mission that have guided us for the past 75 years.
Our recent MeetingtheMoment campaign challenged us to honor our past while simultaneously preparing for the future. This new era is not about becoming something different, it is about strengthening who we have always been: an open door to all in need, and a trusted and supportive force to help get through lifeʼs unexpected turns.
Over the past six months, JFS Dallas has served 14,276individuals, responding to urgent needs while continuing to invest in the communityʼs long-term stability and health.
As you turn the pages of this mid-year report, we invite you to take a closer look at what weʼve been up to— the lives touched, the programs strengthened, and the community partnerships that make this work possible. None of this happens in isolation. It happens because of you.
Your generosity, trust, and belief in the future of JFS Dallas allow our team of 92 professional staff and 950 volunteers to meet thousands of people where they are, respond with compassion, and build a stronger community for today and for generations to come. We are so grateful for your support as we continue to move forward together, grounded in our history, and inspired by what lies ahead.
Cathy Barker President & CEO
Julie Gothard Board Chair
A glimpse into the past six months
AtJFSDallas,weunderstandthatlifeʼschallenges donʼthappeninisolation.When something affects one area of a personʼs life, it impacts nearly all others. Thatʼs why our approach to care looks at the whole person— addressing physical, emotional, nutritional, and financial health together. By supporting every part of a personʼs life, we help individuals move toward stability, self-sufficiency, and lasting well-being.
14,276 individuals have received high-quality care at JFS Dallas in the past six months
Jewish Family Service of Dallas (JFS Dallas) is proud to introduce a new look that better reflects who we are and the mission that has guided us for 75 years.
While our appearance is evolving, our mission, vision, values, and services to those in the Greater Dallas community, regardless of religion or ability to pay, remain unchanged.
Over the past year, our team has worked alongside a branding and communications firm that specializes in nonprofit organizations and supported several Jewish service agencies across the country. Together, with input and guidance from program staff, agency leadership, JFS boards, community partners, and lay leaders with expertise in marketing and communications, we explored what JFS Dallas means to our community, those we serve, and the Jewish values at the core of our work.
This collaborative process has resulted in our new look, a process known as a “rebrand”, which included re-designing our logo, and re-working the way that we communicate about our service offerings.
Opening on March 2 , the Jewish Family Service of Dallas Karla and Larry Steinberg Building will feature design elements inspired by our new logo, creating a warm and welcoming space that reflects the heart of our mission.
Leah Guskin, Chief Advancement Officer, revealing the new brand to Society of Life Members during a reception held at the home of Gilian & Steve Baron, October 2025.
The new Jewish Family Service of Dallas logo features overlapping shapes represent our whole-person approach to care, illustrating how key areas of someone’s life are connected. It reflects our belief that well-being comes from supporting the whole person.
The overall shape echoes our focus on helping our community grow and thrive, and the star at its center reminds us that our work is deeply rooted in our Jewish values.
Yellow has long been a defining element of the JFS Dallas brand, which is why we retained the color from our previous logo as a nod to our rich history and the strong recognition built over decades of service.
With our new brand, we updated our tagline, the phrase we use to express our mission in just a few words. The new tagline, support at every turn, reinforces that wherever someone may be on their journey, JFS Dallas is here with guidance, compassion, and support. While the new logo and tagline no longer reference an “open door”, our promise remains the same: everyone is welcome at JFS Dallas— regardless of religion, or ability to pay for services.
Established in 2012, the Jewish Family Service of Dallas Foundation supports the long-term viability of JFS Dallas through planned giving and endowments. It allows thoughtful, generous participants to make a lasting difference in our community by establishing or contributing to a fund.
PLAN (People Living Active Now), a program of Jewish Family Service of Dallas, provides compassionate, community-based support for individuals with mental illness and their families. Through connection, purpose, and meaningful work, members find a place to belong and a pathway to greater independence.
ProgramSpotlight:
PLAN Clubhouse
Robin Kibler’s
Story: How the PLAN Clubhouse and Community Have Supported My Mental Health Recovery
A
Interview with Robin Kibler, PLAN Member
s the PLAN Clubhouse and Connections programs prepare to move from their standalone building in Richardson into a newly designed 6,650-square-foot space within the new JFS Dallas campus, PLAN Clubhouse member Robin Kibler shared what the program has meant to her mental health recovery — and what this next chapter represents.
“Being part of the PLAN Clubhouse has taught me that I can take care of myself and others while facing the challenges that come up in life,” Robin shared. “I’ve learned coping skills, and I now know that I am okay. I know I can be there for myself and for others.”
The PLAN Clubhouse is an accredited program of JFS Dallas that supports adults living with severe and persistent mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and chronic PTSD. Through meaningful work, social connection, career skill-building, and peer support, members “move from isolation to activation” building confidence, independence, and purpose.
“Through this community, I’ve found real friends,” Robin said. “I’ve learned to like myself and love myself, as well as care deeply for people around me.”
For Robin, PLAN has been foundational to feeling safe, both emotionally and socially.
“PLAN has helped me learn how to be safe and how to feel safe,” she explained. “I’ve gained confidence and a stronger sense of who I am. I know I’m not perfect, and I continue to grow, experiencing new breakthroughs all the time. PLAN has helped bring me out of my shell and into being myself.”
That sense of growth and belonging will expand as the PLAN program moves from Richardson to the main JFS Dallas Karla & Larry Steinberg building.
The new space will feature a fully equipped commercial kitchen where members can build culinary skills that support both daily living and career pathways. It will also offer dedicated areas for work and social programming, along with opportunities to care for a vegetable garden and plants throughout the 100,000square-foot building. Members will continue to access PLAN Connections, where peersupport specialists draw on their own lived experiences to walk alongside others on their journey toward mental health recovery.
“Being connected to the main JFS campus makes me feel like I’m back in the swing of things,” Robin said, comparing it to her time working at a library. “It gives me a sense of belonging and purpose. I want to volunteer because it brings excitement and meaning to my life. Being part of the larger JFS community will help my growth continue to build as I move forward.”
She’s especially excited about the building itself. “I’m most looking forward to the beautiful colors, the furniture, and especially all the space in the new building,” she shared. “I’m excited about becoming more independent and feeling confident.”
The proximity to other JFS programs and services will also make support more accessible. “Being in the new building alongside other JFS programs will help me feel more connected and supported,” she said. “I believe it will strengthen my recovery by giving me better access to services like counseling and [job skills] classes.”
One feature she’s particularly looking forward to is the PLAN library. “I’ll be able to go there if I start to feel overwhelmed and need a quiet space,” Robin explained. “Having access to calm, supportive areas like this will help me regulate my emotions and stay grounded.”
As PLAN settles into its new space, Robin’s story reflects what the program does best: creating a community where people are supported at every turn.
Learn more at jfsdallas.org/plan
Thien Nyugen (left) and Robin Kibler (right) working to assemble the monthly PLAN Clubhouse Newsletter “According To Plan”
Medical Services
How Community Health Workers Are Connecting Our Community to Care
wo years ago, Jewish Family Service of Dallas opened the doors to the JFS Northpoint Health Center with a clear purpose: to bring highquality, compassionate primary and behavioral health care closer to people who have long struggled to access it.
Since then, the JFS Northpoint Health Center has grown steadily, serving over 800 individuals while building the systems, partnerships, and trust required to support long-term community health. Now, the health center has reached an important milestone.
In November of 2025, JFS Dallas submitted its application for Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike status. Achieving this status indicates that JFS Dallas meets the high standards of the FQHC program, and allows for future growth and long-term sustainability.
This application reflects 18 months of hard work: staffing, and opening a clinic, developing policies and procedures, and meeting rigorous quality standards. JFS expects to receive FQHC Look-Alike designation by fall 2026.
WhatFQHCStatusMeansand WhyItMatters
Federally Qualified Health Centers, also known as community health centers, are not government-run clinics. An FQHC is a community-based organization that receives federal support to serve populations with limited access to primary and preventive care.
Across the country, there is a critical shortage of family doctors and preventive care options, especially in communities with high uninsured rates. About 17–19% of Texans lack some form of health insurance, and often delay care until a health concern becomes an emergency.
FQHCs are designed to change that by building relationships between providers and patients in the communities they serve. These relationships focus on addressing needs and empowering patients to improve their health.
Many patients of the JFS Northpoint Health Center had not seen a primary care provider in years, and relied on emergency rooms simply because they didn't know where else to go. “A lack of knowledge frequently creates fear,” explains Community Health Worker Becky Nurko. “I hear people say, ‘I’veneverbeensick, so I don’t need a doctor.’ I help them understand that primary care isn’t just for emergencies, it’s about prevention, stability, and long-term health.”
FQHC designation also provides a sustainable funding model for JFS Dallas. Insurance providers like Medicaid and Medicare pay an enhanced rate to FQHCs in recognition of the high-quality care that they provide. This care reduces hospital admissions and overall costs for insurance providers. When health care services are self-sustaining, donor dollars can be used to expand other services at JFS Dallas, support new programs, and invest in the community.
But while FQHC designation strengthens the foundation of the health center, JFS's innovative approach to health care also includes investment in new positions like Community Health Workers, known as CHWs.
That bridge is essential for the communities JFS Dallas serves, many of whom have been disconnected from, marginalized by, or even harmed by the healthcare system in the past. These are individuals who may have skipped medical appointments for years, not because they don’t care about their health, but because medical care has felt intimidating, inaccessible, or unsafe.
Community Health Workers (CHWs) meet people long before they ever walk into a clinic. They are out in the community—at food pantries, schools, health fairs, apartment complexes, and neighborhood gathering spaces, having real conversations in familiar settings. Over the past year alone, our team of trained CHWs has connected with more than 1,500 people outside of traditional health care environments.
Chair One Fitness class with senior citizens lead by Dana Branch, Community Health Worker (2020)
As Community Health Worker Dana Branch explains, trust always comes first.
“As a CHW, it’s important to build trust by validating people’s fear—whether it comes from family history or past diagnoses,” she says. “We use empathetic communication and help remove barriers like cost or transportation that might prevent someone from going to the doctor.”
Those barriers are real. Patients often worry about missing work, finding childcare, affording copays, or hearing a diagnosis they feel unprepared to face. CHWs help patients name those fears and then walk through them.
“They’re afraid the doctor will find something they’re not prepared to deal with,” Dana says. “I encourage them that most things are preventable with early detection. You can’t address something if you don’t know it’s there.”
WalkingBesidePatients— EveryStepoftheWay
Community Health Workers don’t rush people into appointments. They listen. They explain. They walk alongside patients.
Jenifer Hernandez, JFS Dallas Community Health Worker, describes her role as deeply relational.
“When I meet someone who is scared or nervous, first of all I value their time to listen and be empathetic,” she says. “Maybe in the past they haven’t had a pleasant experience. I emphasize how important access to care is for their long-term health, and I explain that we have a team ready to guide them so they can receive proper care.”
Sometimes that guidance means explaining what will happen the moment a patient walks into the clinic. Sometimes it means reassuring them that language will not be a barrier—that interpretation services are available and that they will be treated with dignity and respect.
For others, it means staying after an appointment, helping schedule follow-ups, assisting with Medicaid, Medicare, or SNAP applications, or connecting families to resources like food assistance or diapers so they can prioritize their health.
“My role as a Community Health Worker is to be a bridge between the community and the organization,” Jenifer says. “We look at the social determinants of health [such as economic stability, healthcare access, access to healthy food, and other stressors] and where we can provide better outcomes for the community.”
Community Health Workers Becky Nurko (left) and Jenifer Hernandez (right) preparing for a community health event
For many patients, the support of a CHW makes the difference between putting off care and following through.
“When a patient messages me afterward to say thank you for helping them make the appointment and for how good their experience was—that’s when I realize how important this role is,” Jenifer shares. “They were nervous, but they were able to be seen and follow up on their health. That is a blessing for me.”
Dana recalls similar moments: “Vulnerable communities aren’t being reached, and many were scared of the government or the healthcare system,” she says. “My role wasn’t to force anyone—it was to educate, follow up, and build trust. Language wasn’t going to be a barrier. We got it done.”
For many patients, that consistent presence makes all the difference. One patient told Becky, “You are my angel. If it wasn’t for you, I might not have been here.” Moments like these underscore how CHWs help people feel seen, supported, and safe enough to take that first step into care.
Northpoint Medical Arts Building 12606 Greenville Ave. Suite 200 Dallas, TX 75243 469-780-4590
JFSParksideHealthCenter
Karla & Larry Steinberg Building 16301 Quorum Drive
Addison, TX 75001 469-270-0130
Appointments available after March 23, 2026
Hannah McConnell, Behavioral Health Clinician (left) and Becky Nurko, Community Health Worker (right), giving out healthy snacks during the back to school health fair
StaffReflectionsFromThe
Food Pantry
“From
the Aisles of the Food Pantry, I Saw
the Community We’re Trying to Build”
By Eli Cohen-Wien, JFS Dallas Food Pantry Manager
onday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons at the pantry follow a particular choreography. Volunteers arrive to restock shelves while processing around 1,500 pounds of rescued food from our retail partners—rotisserie chicken from Tom Thumb, bakery bread from Walmart, produce from Target. It's controlled chaos. Pallets stacked five feet high block aisles, bins overflow with donations, and if you're not careful you'll trip over a case of pasta someone set down to answer their phone.
Which is why, when a clinical intern brought a client through for a late-afternoon shop, I kept apologizing. "Sorry—just squeeze past this bin." "Sorry—we're usually more organized than this."
(I'm not sure what I was apologizing for. That we have so much food to give away? That we have volunteers doing this holy work? But I apologized anyway, the way you do when showing someone your messy house.)
The clinical intern, the client, and I chatted as we made our way through the aisles, talking about the retail rescue program and the volunteers who make it possible. At every stop, the client murmured gratitude.
When we reached the last aisle where we keep canned vegetables, the client smiled. Green beans, one of her favorites. She grabbed a few cans.
Down the aisle, a volunteer was restocking— balancing a case of canned peas between her knee and the shelf below while turning each can to face outward.
The client paused. "Actually... could I put these back? I just saw the peas, and I didn't realize you had those."
"Of course!" I said. "Please take both if you want."
Volunteer Lauren Margolies in stocking the food pantry with canned tomatoes.
She turned to the volunteer, apologetic. "I don't want to mess up what you just did. You worked so hard to make it look nice."
The volunteer looked up. The afternoon restockers don't often feel the direct impact they have—it's physically demanding work making the space ready so that volunteers during appointments can help guide families. Moments like this are rare.
"No, please. That's what we're here for," she said, smiling brightly as she handed the cans over. As they passed from hand to hand, she made direct eye contact.
"I'm glad you're here."
The client's eyes filled with tears. Mine did too. She took the peas. And the green beans. And thanked the volunteer and I both repeatedly. We finished shopping, and I walked them back through the maze of donations.
After they left, I thought about that volunteer. About how she shows up almost every week, sometimes multiple times, to lift heavy boxes and turn can labels outward. About how she said "I'm glad you're here" as naturally as breathing.
I thought about how her husband volunteers here too, and how she's brought her own kids to help stock shelves alongside her, all part of a tapestry of people committed to building the same thing.
There's the produce manager at Tom Thumb who sets aside donations every Monday morning. The truck drivers who pick up our retail rescue and haul away our spoiled produce to a chicken farmer who feeds it to his hens. Yesterday, a delivery driver knocked on our door with 400 pounds of pepperoni—fell off a truck, boxes got scraped, but the meat was fine. He could have dumped it. Instead, he googled food pantries, found us, and drove over because it was the right thing to do.
Each person making a choice—sometimes in a split second, sometimes week after week—to build something worth living in.
From where I stand, the sheer number of people it takes to make this work leaves me in awe. Over eight hundred volunteers help out each year. Many come every week, some multiple times. Each finds their own way to say: this is the community I want. One where a client doesn't have to apologize for changing her mind. One where good food reaches neighbors instead of landfills. One where we celebrate what is ours more than worrying about what is mine.
If that's a community you want to live in too, we could use your help. We need people to restock shelves, sort donations, welcome families, answer phones. We need people who can lift heavy boxes and people who can't. We need people for a few hours a week and people for a few hours a month. What we really need are people who want to look another human being in the eye and mean it when they say: I'm glad you're here. Because that's what we're here for.
View upcoming volunteer opportunities at jfsdallas.org/volunteer
Mother and Son Volunteer duo stock the shelves of the food pantry with canned food
DonorSpotlight
Ann Kahn
Ann Kahn’s story is rooted in family, food,
and a
deep sense of Tikkun Olam
orn in 1941 in South Dallas, Ann is the oldest of three children and grew up in University Park, surrounded by a family whose livelihoods revolved around food and community connection. Her father managed the family-owned grocery store alongside her uncle, while her maternal grandfather owned another grocery store in South Dallas. Food, family, and service were constant presences.
Her grandparents, Bubbie Sarah and Zaydie Archie, were longtime Dallas residents whose story mirrors that of many immigrant families. Archie immigrated to the US through Galveston from Russia around 1905, along with his siblings Simon and Francis. Simon later founded Goodman Produce, while Francis married Jake Goldman, a baker. Zaydie Archie sold produce from a truck along Swiss Avenue—work that connected him directly to the neighborhoods he served.
As Ann later reflected in an interview with the Dallas Jewish Historical Society (DJHS), “So we were all in food.”
Jewish life has always been central to Ann’s identity. “I belong to every Jewish organization,” she said in her interview with DJHS.
When her children were in Sunday school, she taught a Jewish cooking class at Temple EmanuEl, where students learned to make matzah balls and hamantaschen—passing down tradition in the most tasteful way possible.
Over time, the way Ann gives back has evolved. “Now that I’m older, I’m more supportive in a financial way,” she shared. Ann says she learned to be giving and loving from her mother.
“I believe philanthropy goes hand in hand with Tikun Olam,”
Ann shares. “To help repair the world, we can give of ourselves and, when possible, give financially. Every nonprofit organization requires resources to pursue its mission. Those who can give, should.”
That belief has guided Ann’s longtime involvement with JFS Dallas, particularly the Food Pantry and Kosher Home Delivered Meals program. To her, those small moments are where impact truly happens.
“The Food Pantry is my favorite program,” she says. “Greeting and helping clients with kindness goes a long way toward creating a ‘feel good’ feeling all around.” It’s a reminder that compassion can be just as nourishing as the groceries themselves.
Ann’s support of JFS Dallas, both as a volunteer and a donor, is her personal way of contributing to something larger than herself. “Giving to JFS is my small way of being part of Tikun Olam”.
For those considering getting involved, Ann’s advice is simple and heartfelt. JFS offers many ways to make a difference, whether through longterm commitments like being a regular volunteer in the Food Pantry or shorter-term opportunities such as delivering meals or holiday items. “Take a tour of JFS’s fabulous new facility and find your niche,” she encourages.
Thursday, June 4, 2026
This story includes excerpts from an oral history interview with Ann Kahn recorded by the Dallas Jewish Historical Society in September 2012.
Join us for the Annual JFS Dallas Community Impact Celebration—a special event that brings together our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation in one meaningful evening.
We’ll share updates on the current state of JFS Dallas, introduce new board members, and celebrate the volunteers who make our work possible. More information to come.
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Jewish Family Service of Dallas
Karla & Larry Steinberg Campus
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 AT 5:00PM
After nearly two years of planning, fundraising, and collaboration, we are thrilled to invite the community to celebrate the grand opening of our new JFS Dallas Karla & Larry Steinberg Building! Join us for our ribbon-cutting ceremony and enjoy a tour of the new building.
This event marks the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of a new chapter for JFS Dallas. In this stateof-the-art campus, we are excited to serve the community in new and better ways than ever before. Please join us as we celebrate and meet the moment together!
Cleaning out your pantry before Passover?
During the Grand Opening event, we’ll have a bin set up to collect shelf-stable, unopened, and non-expired food donations. Drop off the items you’re clearing out and help stock our new expanded Food Pantry!
Co-Chairs
Sharon & Eric Goldberg
Ynette & James Hogue
Susie & Joel Litman
Stanley Rabin
Jackie & Steve Waldman
Donald Zale
Speakers
Judge Clay Jenkins
Dallas County Judge
Rabbi Mordechai Harris
Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, Chief Impact Officer
Reuben Rotman
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, President & CEO
Cathy Barker
JFS Dallas, President & CEO
Julie Gothard
JFS Dallas, Board Chair
Deizel Sarte
JFS Dallas, Chief Operations Officer
Leah Guskin
JFS Dallas, Chief Advancement Officer
Donald Zale
JFS Dallas, Campaign Leadership
A Fund that Moves the Needle
Full article published by The Dallas Foundation
Meaningful change doesn’t happen all at once...
hat does it take to truly break the cycle of financial instability? At JFS Dallas, we see every day that meaningful change requires more than a one-time gift, it takes guidance, accountability, and compassionate, wrap-around support.
That belief is at the heart of the Move the Needle Program, a unique philanthropic partnership created by Ike and Candy Brown in collaboration with The Dallas Foundation and Jewish Family Service of Dallas.
The program provides one participating individual or family with monthly financial support for a full year, paired with financial coaching, case management, and behavioral health services through JFS Dallas. The goal isn’t just relief — it’s long-term stability.
The impact has been powerful. One of the program’s early participants, a single mother of three juggling multiple jobs and mounting expenses, entered the program with no savings and credit card debt. With steady financial support and coaching, she was able to stabilize her household, keep her job, pay down debt, and ultimately build significant savings — opening the door to homeownership and a safer future for her children.
As the program evolved, JFS Dallas, The Dallas Foundation, and the Browns worked together to refine its structure. Lessons learned from early participants led to clearer expectations, stronger accountability measures, and an even greater emphasis on mental health support alongside financial coaching.
That holistic approach has proven essential, helping participants navigate both the opportunities, and the stress, that come with financial progress.
Today, Move the Needle is in its third year and continues to demonstrate what’s possible when philanthropy is paired with expertise and care.
Participants have paid off debt, built emergency savings, reduced reliance on multiple jobs, and regained the confidence to plan for the future.
For JFS Dallas, Move the Needle reflects our core belief in whole-person care; that financial stability, emotional well-being, and personal support must work together to create lasting change.
This program also serves as a model for donors who want to move beyond writing a check and become partners in transformation. As the Brown family and The Dallas Foundation explore opportunities to expand Move the Needle, their hope is simple: that others will be inspired to join in and help more families move from surviving to thriving.
Lease Space Available
Mission-AlignedOfficeSpace
The newly designed JFS Dallas campus offers additional leasable space for organizations advancing education, healthcare, housing, economic stability, and related fields. Tenants benefit from proximity to JFS Dallas’s wraparound services, Primary Care, and a collaborative, mission-driven community.
Amenities include:
All utilities and services, including security, janitorial services, and maintenance.
Flexible floor plans
Welcome Center & trained referral staff
Conference Center
Meeting rooms
Coffee bar & kitchen
Ample parking near a city park
Read the full article published by The Dallas Foundation (December 2025), to learn more about the program’s development and the families it has supported.
Donate at jfsdallas.org/Donate
Open to for-profit, nonprofit, and civic organizations that share JFS Dallas’s core values of being Welcoming, Responsive, Compassionate, and Dedicated.
To inquire about lease space, contact JFS Dallas President & CEO Cathy Barker at cbarker@jfsdallas.org or 469-206-1645.
Services Start at the New JFS Dallas Building Monday, March 2
We will move operations from Arapaho to the new Quorum building during the last week of February. All services, administrative operations, and volunteer activities will resume at the new location during regular business hours beginning Monday, March 2, 2026.
Klein Internship Applications Due Friday, March 13
The Klein Internship is a summer opportunity for high school–aged teens, pairing participants with Dallas-area nonprofits for a 180-hour internship. The internship runs from June through August 2026.
Dallas Kosher Chili Cook-Off Sunday, March 15
Volunteer with Team JFS or stop by to taste our award-winning vegetarian chili at the 2026 Annual Dallas Kosher Chili Cook-Off at Congregation Tiferet Israel.
Passover
Package Delivery – Volunteers Needed Sunday, March 22
We are looking for volunteer drivers (individual or family) to deliver Passover packages to some of our 750 recipients. Routes are preassigned and take approximately one hour to complete.
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Celebration for the JFS Dallas Karla & Larry Steinberg Building Thursday, March 26
Mark your calendar for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration of the new JFS Dallas building. Keep an eye on your mailbox for an invitation.
Women’s
Month Feminine Hygiene Drive Month of March
March is National Women’s Month, and we’re focusing on collecting feminine hygiene items to distribute to the community through our food pantry year-round. Help us reach our goal of collecting 50,000 items this month!
National Volunteer Week April 19–25, 2026
Stay tuned for upcoming events and special volunteer opportunities during National Volunteer Week, April 19–25, 2026.
Priya Fertility Fund Campaign – Mother’s & Father’s Day Cards
Mother’s Day Deadline is May 1 | Father’s Day Deadline is June 12
With a $36 donation to The Priya Fund, you can send a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day tribute card to a friend or loved one while supporting fertility care for Jewish Families. Available seasonally. Learn more at jfsdallas.org/priya
Community Impact Celebration Thursday, June 4
This special event combines our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation into one memorable evening. It will highlight the current state of JFS Dallas, introduce new board members, and honor our volunteers, all in one incredible celebration.
Back-to-School Health Fair Tuesday, July 14
Parents of school-aged children are invited to the JFS Northpoint Health Center for the annual Back-to-School Health Fair. Receive free school supplies, health screenings, and assistance signing up for medical appointments with JFS Dallas.
High Holiday Food Drive Month of September
Each year, participating congregations host a High Holiday Food Drive. Drop off donations in a collection bin at your synagogue during the High Holidays to benefit the JFS Dallas Food Pantry.
Grandparent Volunteer Day September 6
If you’re a grandparent and want to teach your little ones the importance of giving back, join us at JFS Dallas for Grandparent Volunteer Day. Enjoy special activities designed for grandparents and grandchildren of all ages.
Annual Diaper Shower Month of October
For the 16th year, our community will come together in October for the Annual Diaper Shower, co-chaired by Beverly Rossel, Cathy Glick, and Julie Liberman. Over the years, the Diaper Shower has collected more than 1.8 million diapers and wipes, which are distributed to the community through the JFS Dallas Food Pantry. Learn how to participate at jfsdallas.org/DiaperOn.
JFS Dallas Open House
Thursday, October 8
We invite potential clients, donors, and volunteers to a fair-style Open House. Tour the facility, learn about each department, discover how JFS Dallas can support you, and find out how you can get involved. RSVP required.
Society of Life Reception
Thursday, October 22
Major donors of JFS Dallas ($1,800+ level) are invited to the Society of Life Reception, an evening of appreciation with hors d’oeuvres. More information will be sent in an invitation, so keep an eye on your mailbox.
Made Possible by a Community That Shows Up When It Matters Most
Our mission is only possible because of families that help make everything happen. Over the past six months, you have shown up in countless ways, helping JFS Dallas serve 14,276 individuals across North Texas. We wouldn’t be able to do this without our community built of thousands of volunteers, donors, congregations, and corporate partners. While it’s impossible to capture everything, here are just a few creative and meaningful ways our community came through in the first half of the fiscal year.
Klein Internship: 33 high school students finish their summer internships, partnering with 13 local nonprofits to complete 180 hours of service.
Packages: 103 volunteers came together to pack and deliver 750 care packages to the community.
Government Shutdown: Community partners organize food drives to help the JFS Food Pantry meet the increased demand with loss of SNAP benefits.
Temple Shalom Donates homegrown produce to feed families through the Food Pantry.
Thanksgiving: Turkeys and holiday staples distributed to the community.
National Toilet Paper Day: 1,500 rolls of toilet paper donated to the food pantry
High Holiday Food Drive: Congregations collect and donate over 8,000 lbs of shelf stable food to the food pantry.
Akiba Academy 3 graders raise over $1,300 to support JFS for a rd
Temple Shalom Teens Next Dor pack and donate 40 birthday bags to the food pantry
donates over 120,000 diapers and wipes, bringing lifetime total to over 1.8 million.
Holiday Market provided gifts to 190 families, made possible by the generosity of individual donors, the sponsorship of SouthState Bank, and the support of 121 dedicated volunteers. In addition, Benchmark Bank provided Visa gift cards to 150 Holocaust Survivors in celebration of Hanukkah.
Dear Friends,
This year has been one of extraordinary transition and opportunity for both JFS Dallas and the JFS Dallas Foundation. As we grow together, I am continually reminded that none of this progress would be possible without your commitment, your vision, and your belief in the future of our community.
The unveiling of our new brand marks more than a visual change, it represents a deeper alignment between the Agency and the Foundation. Together, we are telling a unified story about who we are, the values we stand for, and how we care for our community. This shared purpose is perfectly embodied by the families of the L’dor V’dor Society, whose ongoing support of both JFS Dallas and the JFS Dallas Foundation demonstrates what it truly means to sustain a legacy from one generation to the next.
At the same time, we are preparing to open the doors of the new Karla and Larry Steinberg Building, a space intentionally designed to expand access to JFS services. As staff begin to move into this new home, the Foundation is working to build an enduring legacy of financial strength and resilience to ensure that the programs offered by JFS remain strong, innovative, and financially secure for decades to come.
Our community’s generosity allows the JFS Dallas Foundation to continue to focus on the long-term sustainability, stability, and relevance of JFS’s services and mission. Through financial and strategic stewardship, generous philanthropy, planned giving, and endowments, you are helping build a future in which every person who turns to JFS can find support and well-being.
While we have accomplished a lot this past year, there is still a lot of work ahead.
Thank you! Thank you for being part of this continued growth. I am honored to share this journey with you, and I look forward to all we will continue to accomplish - together from generation to generation, l’dor v’dor.
Clive Miskin
Clive Miskin Board Chair, Jewish Family Service of Dallas Foundation
The Impact of the Jewish Family Service of Dallas Foundation
stablished in 2012, the Jewish Family Service of Dallas Foundation supports the long-term viability of the comprehensive health services provided by Jewish Family Service of Dallas through planned giving and endowments. It allows thoughtful, generous participants to make a lasting difference in our community by establishing or contributing to a fund in memory or honor of a loved one or family.
2026 Fund Balance
By Purpose
Thank You Current Fundholders
The Cathy Barker Fund for General Operations
The S. Blumberg Fund for General Operations
The Fagelman Birk Fund for Clinical Services, Psychotherapy
The Hyman & Joan Brown Memorial Fund
The Chortek Family Fund for Kosher Home Delivered Meals
The Mark & Cathy Cohen Family Fund
The Charles B. & Helen R. Feldman Food Pantry Fund
The Dick & Mona Kerstine Family Charitable Fund
The Garner Family Fund
The Michael J. Fleisher Fund for General Operations
The Arno & Berta Goetz Fund for Family Safety Services
The Harriet & Perry E. Gross, MD Fund
The Susie & Joel Litman Fund for Supportive Services for Older Adults and Their Families
The Martin L. Litwin & Ruth Ann Litwin Fund for General Operations
The Dr. Sol D. Lurie Community Health Center Fund
The Lois & William Mexic Endowment Fund for the Benefit of Career and Employment Services
The Barbara & Clive Miskin Family Fund
Jack Baron OBM fund supporting Family Violence Intervention
Betty & Jack Miskin OBM fund supporting Older Adults Services
Dinah & Isaac Sherman OBM fund supporting Career and Financial Services
Sarah (Sally) Sherman OBM fund supporting Adult Mental Health
The Morchower Family Philanthropic Endowment Fund for Children and Adolescents in Crisis
L’dor V’dor
The Cindy & Irv Munn Fund for General Operations
The Pinker Family Fund for Healthy Safe Families
The Priya Jewish Reproduction Fund
The Gerald & Helaine Ray Fund for Services to Veterans & Their Family
The Andrée and Sidney Rosenblum Family Foundation
The William & Heddy Roth Philanthropic Fund
The Peachy & Morton Rudberg Fund for General Operations
The Sachs-Farkas Fund for Services to the Elderly
The Barbara Schwarz Fund for General Operations
The Rebecca & Neal Sklaver Fund for Healthcare Needs
The Meri-Kay Star Endowment Fund for Children’s Mental Health Services
The Synar Fund for Clinical Services
The Charlotte Webberman & Family Endowment Fund for Older Adults Services
The Debi Weiner Fund for Older Adult Services
The Leon Weingarten/ Joseph Webberman Fund for Children with Special Needs
The Bea Weisbrod Family Endowment for General Operations
The Lawrence M. & Sally Wolfish Fund for General Support
The Orien Levy Woolf & Dr. Jack Woolf Endowed Fund
Ethel Silvergold Zale Fund
Society
This exclusive society recognizes those who generously support both JFS Dallas and the JFS Dallas Foundation annually at $1,800+.
Sharon & David Chortek
Carol & Harold Colvin
Dia & Barry Epstein
Robin Sachs & Bob Farkas
Cindy & Irv Munn
Barbara Schwarz
Rebecca & Neal Sklaver
Meri-Kay Star
GrowingUpwithJFSDallas:
The Blum Family Story
A Family Rooted in Service, Seen Through The Eyes of the Next Generation
FInterview with Zoe Blum, Daughter of Andy and Jonathan Blum
or some families, involvement with JFS Dallas starts with a single volunteer shift. For the Blum family, it became something much more, a shared family experience rooted in community service from one generation to the next, l’dor v’dor.
“My family first got involved when my mom began working at Levine Academy through JFS,” Zoe Blum explains. “Then my dad joined the [JFS Dallas Foundation] board. [My twin sister] Mia, and I got involved through volunteering at the Food Pantry and helping with the Passover boxes.”
What began as occasional volunteer hours quickly became something deeper.
“I started out small, volunteering every so often,” she says. “But now I’m involved every month through the Student Impact Board. It only takes a little to start making a difference in the community.”
For Zoe, the Student Impact Board has been a highlight of her high school expereience.
“It’s just so fun. I love our monthly meetings and all the events and bonding. I can’t thank Michelle Cannon [Director of Community Engagement] enough for starting this because it has given me so many incredible opportunities.”
Zoe also completed a 180-hour summer internship through JFS, where she worked with the Dallas Jewish Historical Society (DJHS), an experience she describes as unforgettable.
“I met the current president of the Student Impact Board, Ainsley Montgomery, and together we created archives for an actress named Ada Lynn,” Zoe shares. “I fell in love with the program and even returned the next summer to help write a graveyard tour. I would not have found this amazing organization without JFS, and for that I am forever grateful. It truly was one of the best summers of my life.”
As Zoe prepares for college, her connection to JFS isn’t ending. “I am truly grateful for what JFS brings to the community and so excited to see what the future holds, even from college!”
JewishFamilyServiceofDallas
16301 Quorum Drive
Addison, TX 75001
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