Note for Media: To maintain safety and dignity, the JFS campus is closed to media during these food distributions. If you are interested in doing

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) is assisting families with loved ones who were victims of violent crime or domestic violence as part of the new Dr. Ben Harouni’s Hope and Healing Fund. The fund, created in honor of Dr. Ben Harouni, a young dentist murdered in his El Cajon office in February 2024, is powered by a nonprofit his friends and family started shortly after his death called Hearts Over Hate.

“Ben’s death rocked the very foundation of our family. For us, grief counseling was vital as we worked to come to terms with our unimaginable loss. We know that many do not have access to that level of support,” said Hilda Harouni, Ben Harouni’s mother.

Governor Gavin Newsom and the California legislature have allocated $14.5 million to California’s Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program (HSAP), helping to sustain essential services for more than 2,000 Holocaust survivors throughout the state. Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFSSD) alongside six other Jewish Family Service agencies statewide, the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC) and the Jewish Caucus advocated for the funding that will be distributed this fiscal year. Aging into their late 80s and 90s, Holocaust survivors are among the most vulnerable members of our community and are increasingly in need of support and care.

JFSSD, one of the region’s most impactful nonprofit organizations, announced today the appointment of Dana Toppel as Chief Executive Officer and Theresa Dupuis as chair of the board of directors.

When our community was impacted by the government shutdown, JFS immediately stepped up to ensure San Diegans were connected to critical support. Hear from Dana Toppel, JFS CEO, how we’ve been meeting the moment with compassion and action.

As millions of people prepare to lose their federal food assistance program benefits like SNAP — CalFresh in California — nonprofit organizations are already noticing the impact of the government shutdown on the community. 

“Today is our fourth week of our emergency response to this government shutdown,” Tom Stewart, the vice president of strategic integration at Jewish Family Service (JFS), told NBC 7. “We’re preparing this afternoon to be able to serve up to 200 households.” 

Stewart, along with about a half-dozen volunteers, was preparing boxes of fresh produce and canned goods for community members to come pick up at a drive-through distribution event. He added that they will host these Wednesday evening events at their Balboa Avenue location in Kearny Mesa until the shutdown ends. 

Jewish Family Service has distributed food weekly since shutdown started and is seeing many new faces. The non-profit expects even more with snap benefits delayed. San Diego is home to the highest military population in California, plus an additional 46,000 civilian federal workers, making the region particularly vulnerable to the effects of a federal shutdown. The organization has committed to providing community food distributions every Wednesday for as long as the shutdown continues, with each visitor receiving 40 pounds of food.

As the federal government shutdown continues, local organizations are stepping up to help military families and federal employees struggling to make ends meet.

Every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m., volunteers at the Jewish Family Service of San Diego distribute free food to families in need through a drive-thru pickup program. Since the start of the shutdown, organizers say demand has surged. “So anyone who is impacted could be federal employees, military families, contractors, civilian workers — just anybody affected by this,” said Tom Stewart of Jewish Family Service. Stewart said the organization has seen a 42% increase in families using the drive-thru service in the past week.