Annual Report 2005-06 >

Counseling
Counseling continues to be the most prominent role that JFS plays. New cases were added during the fiscal year, and many other cases continued from prior years. Clients are seen in hourly sessions. In some cases, the JFS Social Worker, Scott Smith, visited a person at their home. Through the Employee Assistance Program, the Social Worker met with clients at their place of work. The counseling function is supervised by a part time Clinical Consultant, Beth Ann Delaney.

Case Management
This JFS function continues to be the most prevalent activity as many types of cases evolved during the year. Much of this work is carried out by Administrative Assistant-Special Program Director Lisa Morgan. There are many examples of where assistance is provided to the same person dozens of times during the year. Support is also provided by the JFS Resettlement Coordinator, whose position changed as the year ended, with Bella Sobiev moving to California and being replaced by Svetlana Penkasova. There are many types of case management activities. Some examples are the following:

  • Friendly visits
  • “Just checking in” phone reassurance
  • Transportation services
  • Assistance with bill paying
  • Coordinating home care/companion services
  • Information and Referrals

Student Loans and Grants
One of the most powerful services is that associated with grants and loans for Jewish high school graduates in Wyoming Valley who go on to some form of higher education. This service has been in existence for decades, but was amended to include grants several years ago. The program is administered through a JFS Student Aid Committee headed by Board member Sandy Warshal. This past year, 12 students were assisted. The program funds from the Rella Roth Fund are invested by the Jewish Federation.

Kids Care Club
This service learning program for youngsters as early as kindergarten has been administered by JFS in its role as the satellite chapter of the national Kids Care Club organization. This past year, at least 22 new projects were carried out, involving 683 students and 917 recipients, under the direction of part time coordinator Lucille Keegan. The funding for this unique experience comes from a variety of sources since there currently is no sustainable, singe source of financing. Several applications to foundations and others were submitted during the year and more will be prepared and transmitted in the new fiscal year.

Medicare Part D
JFS played a significant role in providing support to senior citizens considering a decision regarding Medicare Part D. With the cooperation of the Wilkes University School of Pharmacy, several steps were taken to provide direct linkages to seniors and application to the federal government for this initiative. Additionally, the School of Pharmacy linked their students to senior citizens in a project that resulted in a review of medicine being taken by the senior citizen. This enabled the student to receive experience in this field as well as the senior citizen benefiting from this review.


Howard Grossman with Dr. Dominick Trombetta, Ass't Professor Pharmacy, Pearl Kaufman, and students.

Sarah's Table
This food pantry continues to be used by many persons during the year. The food is provided as a service to those in need of this type of service through three sources of funding. One is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that helps local agencies whose mission, in part, is to assist those who cannot afford to have a nutritious meal. Secondly, the agency uses funds that have been provided by the Gelb Estate for this important purpose. And lastly, through the generosity of Temple B'nai B'rith and the community.

Kosher Home Delivered Meals (KHDM)
This long term assistance programs enables home bound seniors who qualify under the Area Agency on Aging for Luzerne and Wyoming Counties to be given five meals a week that are prepared by the Jewish Home for Eastern Pennsylvania, delivered to the JFS office, packaged by JFS staff and delivered by volunteers to the residence of the end user. The program served over 25 persons during the year. KHDM is one of the most critical services offered by JFS and while the numbers change during a year, there is normally at least 20 persons served at any given time.

Resettlement Support
The JFS resettlement program for the last three years has been that of supporting those persons who settled in this community from the former Soviet Union . The part time Resettlement Coordinator for JFS meets with the individual or family in the JFS office or visits the client in his or her residence. In some cases, JFS has helped to coordinate trips to those locations desired by the New Americans. In still other situations, JFS has handled a variety of needs ranging from translation to medical appointments, to green card or citizenship needs. Close to 40 persons during the year are assisted, and with the trips, even more are helped by the work of JFS. This work included the following types of activities that were provided:

  • consulting with New Americans surrounding their problems
  • finding jobs for New Americans
  • finding companions for elderly and sick people
  • resolving problems with getting "green cards" and citizenship
  • helping new Americans with Medicaid/ Medicare problems
  • contact Area Agency on Aging, Welfare office, Blind Association , etc. on behalf of clients
  • translation for clients
  • contacting and visiting doctors and hospitals for translation
  • sending "news" letters to Russian Community
  • picking up donated furniture: find volunteers, arrange time and transportation
  • assisting JFS of Lackawanna county in reaching and providing services to New Americans who have survived the Holocaust

Holocaust Survivors Program
This joint program between the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre JFS agencies continues for the seventh year. The assistance to holocaust survivors or their families includes case management, financial support where appropriate, and visits to their residences. The Resettlement Coordinator of JFS works with Maggy Bushwick and their teaming is an excellent example of what can be done when two agencies apply their resources to a project of this nature. In Wyoming Valley , there are at least 16 cases that were assisted during the year.

Jewish Caregiver Assistance Program
This program that was funded with a grant from the Foundation for the Jewish Elderly of Eastern Pennsylvania ended during the last fiscal year as funds ran out. During the time from January 2006 to January 2006, ten families or individuals were helped with temporary caregiver assistance for up to three weeks (or more if the entire week was not used), and, in fact, JFS did not utilize the administrative money it was entitled to under the grant, but spent the funds for direct service. Actually, a few more dollars were applied than the grant allowed, and so at least $5500-6000 was committed. This very successful program was highlighted by the JFS executive director at the 2006 national conference of the Association of Jewish Family and Children's Agencies (AJFCA) in San Jose , California . Both he and the JFS Board President attended this conference.

Jewish Small Business Assistance Program
This initiative continued during the year to support at least two business ideas. One is an invention, and work was accomplished and is continuing to find help for the inventor and the second was a proposal for a new venture and is being studied as the new fiscal year begins. There were at least two other business proposals that were discussed during the year, and may be further developed as the new fiscal year begins.

Jewish Emergency Preparedness Task Force
The JFS executive director chairs this task force. A questionnaire was sent to a list compiled by the result of contact with the synagogues and others and responses have begun to be received. These are people who should be contacted during an emergency, disaster, etc. since they may not have other ways to be notified as to what to do. As the fiscal year ended, although the list has not been published, it was used during the astonishing flood emergency of June 29 and 30 in Wyoming Valley by JFS staff and others. A more specific plan will be made available in the early part of the new fiscal year.

Annual Art Contest
The annual children's art contest was held during the year and winners received prizes. The theme was “Jewish Life” and the results have been shown in the JFS Reception room. The contest includes the cooperation of several Jewish organizations and is planned to continue in 06-07. This activity is administered by staff member Lisa Morgan. This year's winners are: Richie Kraus - Kindergarten - First Place, Murray Fallk - First Place - 2 nd grade, Yinon Estikangi - Second Place - 2 nd grade, Ross Kleinman - First Place - 3 rd . grade, Julie Green - Second Place - 3 rd grade, Meitar Dougherty - First Place - 4 th grade, Michael Troth - First Place - 5 th grade, Aaron Lisses - Second Place - 5 th grade, Max Greenberg (?) - First Place - 6 th grade, Molly Kammen - First Place - 7 th grade

Jewish Family Life Education ( JFLE )
This function is traditional at JFS and provides an opportunity in a number of ways for advocating JFLE throughout the community. One example is the B'nai Mitzvah program that Temple Israel provides to Bar and Bas Mitzvah students. The program has been run for many years under the excellent leadership of Ann Smith, a former Social Worker at JFS. JFLE is also utilized as a resettlement tool to encourage New Americans to actively participate in Jewish events during the year. There are many other examples as well.

Community Forums
JFS provides assistance to the JCC in bringing new topics to the Leisure Lounge and at various times to the Men's Club. The JFS executive director helps to arrange these topics, and this past year, at least 9-10 programs were developed. Average attendance is close to 40 persons.

Emergency Financial Assistance
This assistance program enables temporary support for families or individuals who may have difficulty paying a utility, mortgage, insurance or other type of bill during the year. In 05-06, there was vast use of this resource in light of fuel and oil costs skyrocketing and for other reasons. During the year, at least 12 people or families were assisted. The program has been a featured function for many years, but has increased in scope and size in more recent years.

Holiday Assistance
This program to help children and families during Thanksgiving with turkeys and at other times during Jewish Holidays enables gifts and other products to be provided to those in need. There are at least four times during the year when assistance is provided including Chanukah, Passover, and at other occasions.

Arts and Culture
This committee, under the chair of Sheree Klemow, sponsored the second annual concert, this time at the home of Helene and Jack Rosenzweig. It featured three musicians led by former New York Philharmonic violinist , Elliot Rosoff. The funds are used to support intergenerational programs of JFS. The Committee is considering other events that will be developed for 06-07 and subsequent years.

Children and Youth
This committee is chaired by Board member A.W. Weinberg. It met several times during the year, helped to move forward a survey of Jewish youth in Wyoming Valley , the report of which is to be published shortly, and looked at the various programs of JFS dealing with youth. In the early part of 06-07, the Committee will study the results of the survey to see what actions it might consider for this new year.

Aging Services
This committee is chaired by Board member Sally Connor. It reviews all aging service programs of JFS and helps to monitor and further promote the importance of a comprehensive eldercare program in a community whose demographic leans heavily toward senior citizens.

Modernization of Computer Technology
During the year, JFS received approval of a grant from the Verizon Foundation to modernize its computer system. Through the work of King's College Intern, Andrew Wakefield, the entire system was revamped, new computers were purchased, and the system was networked. With the remainder of the $5000 grant, it is expected that the JFS website will be upgraded during the new year.

Annual Meeting and Honoree
The annual meeting for 05-06 resulted in the election of new officers, the honoring of outstanding Board member Sally Lee Sagenkahn, and an audience that reached 181 persons. Outgoing Board president Rich Kramer was commended and incoming Board president Steve Libenson outlined his thoughts and ideas for the new year. The officers for the new fiscal year elected at the meeting are as follows:

  • Steve Libenson, President
  • Susan Yelen, First VP
  • Michael Polgar, Second VP
  • Lisa Kayton, Treasurer
  • Sheree Klemow, Recording Secretary
  • Carolyn Mertz, Corresponding Secretary

Other Activities
There were other activities noted during the year. Some of these include the following:

  • Approval by the Blue Ribbon Foundation of a grant of $10,000 for a JFS sponsored wellness program to be implemented in 06-07
  • Publication of four quarterly newsletters and continuing a page in the Jewish Reporter about JFS activities.
  • Development of a new JFS Foundation, Inc nonprofit corporation for the purpose of raising an endowment of at least $1.1 million to support the work of JFS.
  • Continuing work on the Standards for Excellence application to be eventually submitted to the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) for certification. This is expected to be completed in the new fiscal year.
  • Re-examining the approved Strategic Plan for JFS and thinking through the tactical/ Action Plan for 06-07.
  • Proposing an Adopt a Family Plan for implementation in 06-07.

Funding of JFS
The agency could not function without the continuing support of agencies and others such as the following:

  • United Way of Wyoming Valley & Jewish Federation of Greater Wilkes-Barre
  • Area Agency on Aging for Luzerne and Wyoming Counties
  • Queen Esther Hebrew Ladies Aid Society
  • Contributors to the annual Friends Campaign
  • Many sponsors of JFS events during the year such as the annual concert

We wish to thank all those who made the work of JFS possible through their generous financial and meaningful support in so many ways. Working as a team, there will be more cooperation and coordination in coming years, particularly as the new Jewish wide strategic planning further develops in Wyoming Valley , and the demographic profile that was announced during the year is further analyzed for the benefit of all those served by JFS.

Budget Breakdown
The following pie chart shows how the funding of JFS occurs and how the funds are spent. The budget breakdown for JFS for 05-06 is also shown.

 

Copyright 2006, Jewish Family Service of Greater Wilkes Barre