Dear Friends of Jewish Family Services,

Rabbi Tarfon once said, “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.” (Pirkei Avot 2:16).

When we consider our responsibility in continuing to provide social services to Edmonton and the surrounding communities, we must first take a moment to acknowledge the work we have already done. Over the past year we have established a solid foundation that will continue to support the growing needs of the community.

For over seventy years, JFSE has been providing social and mental health support to people of all backgrounds in the Edmonton community. This past year, we strengthened our established programs, integrated innovative practices, added new staff, and were able to celebrate new beginnings with new services, partnerships, and a new office.

The Edmonton Healing Centre has had several wonderful changes and new collaborations this past year.  Most notably we have launched an innovative “Online Grief Support Course”, which you will hear more about in the coming months.  We have seen a growth in the demand for our services and have been able to increase our staffing capacity as we are challenged to meet the growing demand for mental health programs and services.     

The Outreach Program continues to work with aligned community service partners, to ensure quality support services are available through case management and community support services.  We are finding that the needs and priorities of our clients are becoming more complex as we continue to focus our support for seniors,  the 2SLGBTQ community, and newcomers.   

Over a third of our clients are from the Edmonton Jewish Community and we are committed to focus on the needs and priorities of our community. Our Seniors Support Program provided support to those in need throughout the year including food vouchers, case management, and assistance with accessing counseling and home care. In addition, we continued to support Jewish seniors with Jewish Holiday meals and food packages. Through the Holocaust Survivor Support program we are also able to provide home support, financial assistance, and case management to over 80 survivors living both in the community and in seniors’ residences. Our staff is constantly working to ensure that the complex needs of the survivors are met and that they age with dignity.

We are proud to be a local grassroots organization that serves both the Jewish Community and the larger Edmonton Community.  While we have been successful in increasing our revenue through grants and local government support, this funding is not sustainable.  Like other non-profit organizations, financial sustainability lies in a diversified funding strategy that includes donations. We are grateful for the continuous support from our friends and would ask that you consider a donation at this time.   

Thank you for your ongoing support throughout the year.