Kate Clark, JFS Senior Director of Immigration Services, says that what’s often missing in political conversations about immigration is empathy for migrants as human beings. “If there was more of a focus on the humanity behind this issue, maybe others would better understand the challenges that are faced,” she says, “and be more comfortable moving forward with welcoming policies.”

Dana Toppel, JFS’s Chief Operating Officer and founder of “Make Work Work for Moms,” is advocating for better support systems for working moms. She encourages people to urge elected officials and companies to invest in high quality childcare solutions. And she is urging leaders of organizations to review flexible work arrangements—including flexible hours and job-sharing—along with dependent health care and paid family leave.

JFS is hosting a free DACA Day on Saturday, September 9, to help individuals with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status renew their applications. ”Since the inception of DACA in 2012, JFS has assisted over 1,000 individuals with their DACA applications and renewals,” said CEO Michael Hopkins. “We have seen firsthand how Dreamers build a stronger, healthier, more resilient San Diego.”

JFS’s Safe Parking Program is partnering with TrueCare, a nonprofit community health center with mobile clinics, to provide medical and dental screenings for people experiencing homelessness in northern San Diego County.

JFS’s new board chair Deborah Bucksbaum outlines how JFS is going to address affordable housing. “There are so many people who can’t afford housing who have jobs,” Bucksbaum said. “It is not an issue of people not working. It is an issue of housing simply being too expensive and people not making wages that are high enough to cover their basic living expenses.”

Watch JFS volunteer Marti Eisenberg in action at the Corner Market at JFS! Marti knows first-hand how special the Corner Market at JFS is and she loves finding little food treasures to point out to the families who shop here.

More families who need help putting food on the table are turning to The Corner Market. JFS is getting an increased number of calls for help with food assistance because of the end of pandemic-era benefits and the rising cost of living, according to Tom Stewart, JFS’s Director of Division Operations, Nutrition Services. Shoppers at The Corner Market can select nutritious foods free of charge based on a point system. Instead of being handed a bag full of food, people have “a dignified experience of going shopping for themselves,” said Stewart, and “get to choose what works best for their family.”

On the podcast, Rabbi Philip Graubart and Ali Viterbi sat down with Michael Hopkins, CEO of Jewish Family Service of San Diego to discuss Deuteronomy 15:11 and our responsibility to open our hands to “the poor and needy kin in our land”.

JFS announced our new board chair, Deborah Bucksbaum, who succeeds Emily Jennewein, at our annual meeting at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD). During her tenure on the board, Deborah advocated for affordable housing and formed JFS’s housing committee. New board members include: Nadia Farjood, litigation associate with O’Melveny & Myers; Seth Krosner, trauma and critical care surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital; and Adam Rosenthal, partner and employment attorney with Sheppard Mullin. Outgoing board members include: Kira Finkenberg; former board chair Adam Welland; and Karin Toronto. Treasurer Sheldon Derezin was given the Charles Zibbell Board Leadership Award. Winners of the Henrietta Rubenstein Staff Award: Tania Garcia Aguirre, of JFS Safe Parking; and Luis Gonzales, JFS Immigration Legal Services. The Board Chair’s Award went to JFS’s Welcome the Stranger efforts, including: the San Diego Raid Response Network (SDRRN), Immigration Legal Services, and refugee resettlement.

JFS has named Deborah Bucksbaum as its next board chair, succeeding Emily Jennewein. New board members include Nadia Farjood, a litigation associate with O’Melveny & Myers; Seth Krosner, a trauma and critical care surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital; and Adam Rosenthal, a partner with Sheppard Mullin. During JFS’s annual meeting, treasurer Sheldon Derezin was given the Charles Zibbell Board Leadership Award. and two JFS staff members—Tania Garcia Aguirre, of JFS Safe Parking, and Luis Gonzales, of Immigration Legal Services–each received the Henrietta Rubenstein Staff Award.

San Diego Business Journal (SDBJ) recognizes JFS CEO Michael Hopkins as a finalist for 2023 CEO of the Year.

The San Diego County Seniors Community foundation (SDSCF) has awarded JFS’s College Avenue Center $10,000. The grant is part of a program to implement SDSCF’s “San Diego Master Plan for Senior Center,” a countywide plan to enhance modern senior centers across local communities. “With the help of this grant,” said Kristine Stensberg, senior director of Nutrition and Aging Care Services at JFS, “we will continue to make connections and provide the help and assistance seniors in our community need.”

At its annual meeting at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), JFS announced Deborah Bucksbaum as its next board chair, along with three new board members including Nadia Farjood, a litigation associate with O’Melveny & Myers; Seth Krosner, a trauma and critical care surgeon at Scripps Mercy Hospital; and Adam Rosenthal, a partner with Sheppard Mullin. Outgoing board members Kira Finkenberg, former board chair Adam Welland, and Karin Toronto were recognized for their impactful service. Treasurer Sheldon Derezin was given the Charles Zibbell Board Leadership Award. Tania Garcia Aguirre, of JFS Safe Parking, and Luis Gonzales, JFS Immigration Legal Services, each received the Henrietta Rubenstein Staff Award. “It is an honor to work with such purpose-driven and empathic people,” said CEO Michael Hopkins.

The San Diego Seniors Foundation (SDSCF) has awarded JFS’s College Avenue Center a $10,000 grant as part of its mission to improve the quality of older adult centers and organizations in the region. Research shows that involvement in community centers leads to higher levels of social interaction, life satisfaction and better health for those who participate.

Shala Waines, the founder of San Diego’s monthly Soul Swapmeet for Black entrepreneurs, turned to JFS’s Hand Up Cars program for car financing and financial counseling. “Helpful is not even the word—it’s been a lifesaver,” says the single mom, who uses the Elantra to build her business, get her teenage daughter to school, do errands, and make UberEats and DoorDash deliveries. Hand Up Cars helps working parents with low-to-moderate incomes and challenged credit histories. The program also paid for a new transmission for the Elantra, which after five years is nearly paid off.

Encinitas will continue with its Homeless Action Plan, despite a small decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness throughout coastal North County, based on January’s annual point-in-time count. Encinitas is bundled with Solana Beach and Del Mar in the homeless count; the total number of unsheltered people in those cities dropped from 76 to 73 in the past year. Oceanside and Carlsbad also saw decreases. “Quite frankly I don’t really put much credence in the numbers,” said Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz. JFS operates a Safe Parking lot in Encinitas.

Jewish Family Service operates several guaranteed income programs, providing no-strings attached cash payments to low-income San Diegans to help them make ends meet. The money is provided for families and older adults to use at their discretion and is being studied as a way of helping stabilize people on the brink of becoming homeless. As Michael Smolens writes, “The growth of the program comes in the wake of a major study that suggests an extra $300 to $500 each month could have made the difference in keeping many people in California from falling into homelessness — or could help them pull out of it.”

JFS is expanding services to help food-insecure San Diegans by making our grocery-style food pantry, The Corner Market, more accessible by expanding evening hours five days a week as well as our online ordering, which offers curbside pickup. This, in response to increased demand as thousands of low-income families face higher food bills after losing pandemic-era benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at the end of March. “As the SNAP benefits are going away, people are trying to stretch all of their limited resources as much as possible,” said Kristine Stensberg, JFS’s Senior Director of Nutrition and Aging Care Services. JFS volunteers at The Corner Market are also helping clients sign up for CalFresh benefits.

San Diego welcomed more than 400 refugees last quarter, according to Ross Fackrell, JFS’s director of refugee resettlement. JFS offers refugees support with housing – permanent and temporary – along with employment. “We walk with families and individuals through longer periods of time, particularly in the area of economic empowerment,” said Fackrell.

The San Diego County Senior Transportation Program (SDCSTP), operated by JFS’s On the Go, is expanding its free ride service is to make sure all older adults have access to safe, reliable transportation that meets their mobility needs. SDCSTP will be available to low-income older adults in certain zip codes, whether they are ambulatory or utilize wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Those who do not meet low-income eligibility requirements may still access On the Go, which offers affordable, flexibly options.

JFS CEO Michael Hopkins is a finalist for San Diego Business Journal’s 2023 CEO of the Year Award. The award recognizes contributions to organizational growth, leadership, and community involvement.

JFS’S chief financial officer Bernadette Griggs — who earned her undergraduate accounting degree at SDSU while working full-time and raising two sons — is profiled by the Fowler College of Business. A math whiz, Bernadette grew up in a home with no running water or electricity in the village of Hopkins, Belize. She came to the United States as a teenager, which helps her empathize with young immigrants and DACA participants. “JFS was a perfect agency for me to join because of the invaluable work it does in the community,” she says. Bernadette was recently named CFO of The Year in the nonprofit sector by The San Diego Business Journal.

JFS is one of 23 local nonprofit organizations receiving a grant from the Early Childhood Initiative at the San Diego Foundation and the Dr. Seuss Foundation. The grant will support our work on early childhood education and resources for families with young children.

The San Diego Foundation (SDF) and the Dr. Seuss Foundation are awarding $1.15 million in grants to 23 local nonprofit organizations, including JFS. The grants will support early childhood education and other resources for families with young children, including literacy. “When we invest in affordable quality early education,” said SDF President and CEO Mark Stuart, “we’re investing in our region’s families and the local workforce.”

The San Diego Business Journal has named Mike Phillips, JFS’s Senior Director of Patient Advocacy and Health Services, as one of its 2023 Top Professionals in Behavioral Health. Mike is being recognized for overseeing several programs dedicated to supporting the behavioral, mental, and emotional health of more than 70,000 people a year.