BLUEPRINT FOR IMPACT
We first embarked on this Strategic Planning effort in January 2020, and never could have imagined what the future held for our world, country, community, and organization. When the COVID-19 global pandemic began to upend the world we knew, JFS—as it has done time and time again—ran toward the crisis to offer critical services and vital support.
The pandemic highlighted racial disparities with the coronavirus disproportionately affecting lower-income people of color. The crisis was compounded by widespread social unrest. It became imperative for the new plan to recognize that our past actions as an agency in addressing equity, diversity, and inclusion were not enough.
With these values in mind, the Strategic Plan is a clear picture of an organization JFS will strive to become in the very near future, a series of goals, objectives, and actions for getting there.
“The Strategic Plan calls for an organization that lifts up people of all backgrounds, and also acts on its unique position to help ensure that the Jewish community receives the social services it needs; an agency that is steady in its day-to-day service for the community and nimble enough to react quickly to the community or world events; an agency that prioritizes innovation and equity.”
Adam Welland
Advisory Officer
Our Purpose
Jewish Family Service partners with people of all backgrounds to build stable and dignified lives. Together, we create a stronger and healthier community where everyone can thrive.
Our Goals
Members of the community, board of directors, JFS staff, and partner organizations, came together to create a picture of the agency that JFS will strive to become in the near future, and a series of goals, objectives, and actions for getting there. These Goals provide achievable and action-oriented targets for the development and implementation of all initiatives moving forward. Working to achieving these goals will engage us deeply in innovation, equity, and learning.
1) Caring for Our Community
Use our strengths to be both an early responder and dependable provider to communities and individuals with human service needs.
2) Living Our Jewish Values
In serving the greater community, remain focused on our responsibility to the Jewish community.
3) Driving Innovation
Embrace innovation to further operational excellence and advance the human services sector.
4) Committing to Equity
Proactively counteract inequities inside and outside of the organization by putting equity at the center of our work.
5) Valuing Our People
Attract, develop, and retain a mission-driven, diverse workforce and volunteer corps.
6) Securing Today, Planning for Tomorrow
Develop significant, sustainable, and flexible sources of funding and resources.
7) Enhancing Governance
Maintain strong Board leadership and governance.
Each Goal is followed by concrete strategies which are in turn achieved by implementing specific actions to make the Strategic Plan operational and measurable.
Read more about your strategies in our Blueprint for Impact: JFS Strategic Plan.
Measuring Our Impact
The Strategic Plan provides accountability for performance using a set of performance measures that attempt to answer two set of questions:
- How much did we do and how well did we do it?
- How hard did we try and what did we produce?
Using this Result-Based Accountability framework, JFS leadership will further quantify these objectives and identify data development needs.
Why We Serve: Our Values
Through our work, we live our Jewish values. They are the driving force behind our actions and influence everything we do. More profoundly than who we serve, our identity as a Jewish agency speaks to why we serve.
Justice
(Tzedek)
We believe in the inherent dignity of the individual.
Repair the World
(Tikkun Olam)
We believe that social action and the pursuit of social justice creates a more equitable world.
Healing
(R'fuah)
We believe that in a fractured world we can provide healing.
Acts of Loving Kindness
(Gemilut Hasadim)
We believe our actions will lead to protecting and defending the most vulnerable.
Community
(Kehillah)
We believe in our shared responsibility to lift up the community.
Hope
(Tikvah)
We believe that for a better tomorrow, we invest in today.
Our Commitments
Put People First
We meet people where they are and respond to individuals needs.
Use Data to Inform Our Results
We rely on data to guide decisions and build solutions.
Learn and Grow
We learn about issues that impact those we serve and grow our skills so that we can better serve them.
Build Strong Relationships
We are inclusive, collaborative, and transparent.
Work Curiously and Creatively
We ask questions, listen to diverse voices, and challenge old ways of thinking.
Respond Nimbly
We pivot to react to the needs of the community and each other quickly and thoughtfully.
Acknowledgements
Beyond our Board of Directors, we had many community stakeholders participate in our Strategies Plan process. We know the engagement and support of our community is a major factor in our success. We want to thank everyone who played a part in forming of our Strategic Plan and we look forward to partnering with you all along the way to create a stronger and healthier community where everyone can thrive.
JFS staff and the JFS Board of Directors are committed to using this Strategic Plan to guide our evolution and make JFS’s impact even more profound. To read more about our Strategic Plan that will guide our organization through the next few years, read our Blueprint For Impact: JFS Strategic Plan.
