WILMINGTON, De. (Feb. 14, 2023) – Jewish Family Services of Delaware’s (JFS) Care Navigation program was awarded a $10,000 grant by the Barclays Pro Bono Program.

The Barclays Pro Bono Program, run in partnership with Taproot Foundation, gives nonprofits an opportunity to access Barclays expertise, centering in areas of financial management, marketing, and data analysis. Over a 12-week timeframe, JFS was selected to collaborate with Barclays, with the focus on Care Navigation and expanding the opportunities of the program.

“We were passionate about telling our story and excited for this opportunity. Not all nonprofits are chosen, so to be selected and win the $10,000 grant is amazing,” said Latasha Coley, Director of Support Services.

During the process, a team of JFS staff members met weekly with the Barclays team within a remote/zoom setting and created a mission statement, identified the target audience, communicated the services offered, and developed a marketing approach. These components will have long-lasting impact on the organizational structure for the Care Navigation program.

“This was a great opportunity for the JFS program leaders to develop clear goals and plans with outside consultants,” said Sophie Namugenyi, Chief Program Officer. “Barclays expert team assisted us with the development of marketing funnel strategies so we can better reach and serve the older adult community in Delaware. We are excited to get to work and implement all the wonderful ideas.”

Through Care Navigation services, older adults and their loved ones can access compassionate, professional, and personalized care management services to enhance quality of life, encourage independence and healthy lifestyles, and ensure a safe and supportive living environment. In 2022, Care Navigation served 79 individuals and 99% of older adults reported increased feelings of being supported and reduced isolation due to participation in community activities.

“We are thrilled with the team from Barclays, and honored to have been selected!” said Renna Van Oot, Chief Executive Officer. “Thank you all for recognizing and enhancing the work that nonprofits provide in our community.”

About JFS Delaware

Jewish Family Services of Delaware is a place where all members of our community can receive help and support to overcome life’s challenges and cope with difficult situations. JFS is committed to providing the highest quality services available in our area, with compassion and respect for everyone. Our mission is to strengthen individuals, families, and the community by providing counseling and support services, based on Jewish values. To stay up-to-date on the latest news from JFS, sign up for our newsletter by submitting your e-mail at the bottom of the page.

WILMINGTON, De. (Dec. 19, 2022) – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) today joined leaders of Jewish Family Services Delaware (JFS) and counselors-in-training for a press conference at the Jewish Community Center to celebrate $3.5 million in federal funding to help those counseling fellows achieve their licensing so they can work in the First State.

Through his work on Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Coons was able to secure the funding for Jewish Family Services of Delaware’s Mental Health Fellowship Program. The money created 16 fellowship positions for new paid, licensed professionals who aid anyone in Delaware in need of such services, regardless of race, religion, orientation, or identity. The Ferris School, YWCA, and Neighborhood House are just some of the organizations benefiting from these fellows.

“In over 120 years in Delaware, Jewish Family Services has provided a remarkable array of support and services that clearly shows their commitment and support for families of all backgrounds,” Sen. Coons said. “One of the things that is at the very heart of the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam is healing—not just the Jewish world, but the entire world, and to show an understanding of neighborliness that reaches out and beyond. At the very core of Torah values, of righteousness, is the mitzvah of giving kindness and support to those who can’t pay you back in any way.”

The delegation was able to nearly double the funds initially requested JFS by to better address Delaware’s lacking mental health resources. JFS at first sought $1.6 million from the federal government but eventually increased their request to $3.5 million in order to help a greater number of Delawareans.

“This is a big deal,” said Wendell Covell, Clinical Director of the JFS Delaware Fellowship Program. “JFS Delaware has a group called Helping the Helper, and that really means something to me because when you help the helper, we can help the whole community. Our social workers, our therapists, when the crisis hits, they’re the first people to show up. So thank you for helping these fellows, so they can go on to help others. These fellows will go on to provide 14,000 individual, group, and family mental health sessions, and serve over 2,000 Delawareans.”

Delaware has seen the number of mental health professionals decline in the past five years. At the same time, the demand for mental health services has increased. This project addresses the growing mental health crisis, rising demand for counseling, and lack of licensed mental health practitioners in Delaware.

“I work in the community with families, I work with individuals, and what is needed right now is compassion, is understanding, is people to provide services with expertise and without judgment,” said Laura Dickol, a JFS Fellow. “That’s the goal I see all of these fellows working toward, and it’s not just a two-year process. This is a lifelong learning opportunity.”

The $3.5 million for JFS is the second-largest amount of congressional funding secured for a program in Delaware this year. Monday’s event celebrated the launch of the Mental Health Fellowship Program, which got underway in part thanks to these funds. It also provided an opportunity to showcase some of the fellows currently receiving their training.

“We’ve got a big mental health problem across the nation, and part of it is that we don’t have enough licensed providers. This is targeting that problem, and looking to be a part of the solution,” said JFS Delaware Board President Peter Hurd. “We’re going to have to tackle a number of other hurdles, so thank you for setting us on a great path to start addressing some of the biggest.”

When you make a gift to support the work at JFS, you are directly supporting individuals who receive our services.

Individuals like Sasha, who was forced to flee her home in Ukraine and seek refuge and safety in the United States.

Please read on to hear Sasha’s story in her own words.

My name is Sasha and I am 39 years old. I am happily married and have a beautiful daughter who is 12 years old and is enrolled into 7th grade.

Sasha’s Daughter

My entire family lives in Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine. My husband works at the National Bank of Ukraine. I used to work at a prestigious Dental Supply Company in the marketing and sales department. All the adults in my family have higher education, predominantly in finance and chemistry.

When the war started on February 24 at 4 am, we woke up shaking because everything in our apartment was trembling. Later on, we found out that a bomb exploded just 200 yards away from our apartment. All the windows were bending inside out, and a neighboring building collapsed. 

Despite the confusion and fear, everyone in my family was trying to stay calm and think straight. We slowly exited our apartment building. We lived on the fifth floor, so it was difficult to navigate the stairs due to the dust and darkness. 

We tried to find refuge in a bomb shelter, but it was locked! The next day, my husband cut the locks on the door, and we walked into an abandoned facility that was supposed to be a shelter. It was a miserable place, filled with puddles of water, mold, and lots of rats. But it did not stop us from cleaning it and making it a livable space to our best ability. 

Shortly after, my husband insisted for us to be evacuated, so I took my child and our cat, along with another family of four (mother and three kids), and drove several hours to a nearby village, which was only 35 miles away. The road was a scene from a Hollywood horror movie- we were witnessing burned and bombed out cars, and at times it was difficult to maneuver in order to avoid running over the many corpses on the road.. I still remember the airplanes that were flying and the horrible noise that they were making … It is a miracle that we are still alive, because we were trapped in traffic, and we were praying that a bomb would not fall on us. Death was everywhere!

When we arrived at that village we were starving and crying… an older gentleman who was blind offered us a small piece of bread, telling us that children should be fed, and he doesn’t mind dying because he had lived a long life. We stayed in that village for approximately two weeks before moving to the western part of Ukraine because it was no longer safe to remain in that village. 

Sleeping on the floor

It took us two days to get to the city of Ternopol (it usually takes three hours). When we reached our destination, we had to stay in a tiny room of only 30 sq ft for eight people! All of us, including animals, had to sleep on the ice-cold floor. I got very sick, but couldn’t find anyone to treat me.

After staying in Western Ukraine for about two months, we ended up going to Bulgaria. As soon as I arrived there, I was hospitalized and underwent an urgent surgery. My blood was infected and the doctors were skeptical that I would survive.

Again, by the grace of G-d, I survived. When I was laying in the ER, I remembered a story that my grandmother told me when I was a young.

My great grandmother was highly educated, which was uncommon back then for a woman to have higher education. When Nazis invaded Ukraine in 1941, her family pulled from death row two young Jewish people who were waiting to be executed.  

Someone found out that my great grandparents were sheltering Jews, so they reported them to the authorities and my great grandparents instantly became a target for Nazis. They had to flee and hide for a very long period of time. Nonetheless, they continued to hold true to their principles, and they were able to save another Jewish couple from being executed.

I never thought that I would be reliving the horrific realities that my ancestors had to endure. I am sharing this story because G-d has a way to turn things out in an unpredictable way. Who would have thought that after 70 years, my daughter and I would flee to Delaware to seek peace and safety?! 

It is an honor for me to receive services and much needed support from JFS. 

JFS has wonderful staff because they warmly greeted us and have demonstrated their kindness and care. It is hard for me to believe that there are people like Vlad and Rina, who are strangers to us, but they have shown their unwavering commitment to support us in any way they can.

I am so grateful that my daughter was enrolled into Friends School of Wilmington, and she is enjoying every single day meeting new friends and teachers. 

I do remain optimistic, and I look forward to acquiring new skills and knowledge that I can utilize when I return to Ukraine. I really miss my family; my father, who is 64 years old, is still fighting on the front and it is frightening to realize that his life is in danger…

I would like to conclude my story by thanking JFS from the bottom of my heart for the warm welcome and enormous support that we continue to receive. We are so lucky to be beneficiaries of JFS because you are making our lives more stable and comforting. Thank you JFS staff for being there and helping us!  

Through intensive, culturally sensitive case management services, our Refugee Integration Support Effort (RISE) program helps refugees and other immigrants integrate and make a home in their new communities, obtain and retain employment, and establish and maintain healthy lifestyles to achieve self-sufficiency. Last year alone, your gifts helped JFS resettle over 65 families from Ukraine, Sudan, Turkey, Syria, Cuba, Haiti and Afghanistan.

All this amazing work happens because of your generous spirit. Please visit jfsdelaware.org/donate to make a gift today.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (Nov. 28, 2022) – The Muhlenberg College Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding presented Jewish Family Services of Delaware (JFS) and the Refugee Integration Support Effort (RISE) with the 2022 Wallenberg Tribute Award on November 13.

For 38 years the Muhlenberg College Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding (formerly the Institute of Jewish-Christian Understanding) has honored the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat in Hungary who saved 100,000 Jews from deportation to death camps during World War II, with the Wallenberg Tribute.

The 2022 Wallenberg Tribute Award was presented to JFS’ RISE program in honor of the courageous moral action on behalf of others and service to refugees and immigrant communities.

JFS has a long history of advocating for and assisting newcomers to America as they build new lives and raise their families in Delaware. In the 1980’s JFS was instrumental in resettling hundreds of families in Delaware from the former Soviet Union and, since 1997, have been providing émigré services for refugees who have already arrived in the state. In 2016, we relaunched our active resettlement efforts through the Refugee Integration Support Effort (RISE). In 2021, JFS welcomed 68 refugees to Delaware.

The lecture guest for this year’s Wallenberg Tribute was Rangina Hamidi, an Afghan American writer, educator, social activist and politician known for her tireless efforts to advocate for the rights of women, girls and education in Afghanistan. Hamidi presented her lecture, “Schools and Madrassas: The Battle for Education in Afghanistan”, prior to the award presentation.

Peter Hurd, President of the Board for JFS, accepted the Wallenberg Tribute Award. Several JFS staff members were also on hand for the event.

WILMINGTON, De. (Nov. 11, 2022) – Jewish Family Services of Delaware (JFS) presented the Erica Wright Advocacy Award to Representative Debra Heffernan (D) and Senator Sarah McBride (D) on Thursday, November 10.

The Erica Wright Advocacy Award is granted annually to recognize a woman or women in Delaware who have demonstrated exceptional courage, resilience, and leadership, often at great personal risk and sacrifice. Together, JFS and Erica’s family and friends share the responsibility for reviewing nominations and selecting this award’s recipient each year.

Representative Heffernan and Senator McBride were chosen for their dedication and advocacy of the Healthy Delaware Families Act. This legislation ensures that Delawareans have access to paid time off when they need to care for themselves or their loved ones.

Erica Wright knew first-hand what it was like to battle a serious medical condition while also being a mother, wife, and colleague. She also saw up close what others in her breast cancer groups faced without paid leave or support. The Healthy Delaware Families act will not only help future women like Erica, but also future caregivers.

JFS presented the first annual Erica Wright Advocacy Award last year to Erica Wright, in loving memory. On May 7, 2021, the North Wilmington community experienced a profound loss when Metastatic Breast Cancer took our brave, generous friend and fierce advocate. Erica was instrumental and inspiring to all of us at JFS and Cancer Care Connection when merging our two organizations.

The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and its Small Business Alliance (SBA) announced this year’s Superstars in Business award winners: Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Delaware, Action Unlimited Resources, L&W Insurance, and Schlosser & Associates Mechanical Contractors. The honorees will be recognized at an awards ceremony on November 2, 2022.

JFS Delaware was recognized for this award in the Nonprofit Category. Founded in 1899, JFS provides counseling and other social support services to individuals and their families. JFS also conducts refugee resettlement and other related services through the Refugee Integration Support Effort (RISE) program. JFS is licensed with the State of Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and fully accredited by the National Council on Accreditation.

“JFS is thrilled to be receiving this award,” said JFS Delaware CEO, Renna Van Oot. “What we have to offer can only be delivered if we have the best talent providing the highest quality of social services, and we pride ourselves on finding innovative ways to meet the needs of the community.”

In its 24th year, the Marvin S. Gilman Superstars in Business awards program is named for one of Delaware’s most distinguished small business leaders—Marvin Gilman—who displayed the highest ethical standards, found innovative ways to improve the world around him, and inspired others to follow in his footsteps.

The program honors small businesses and nonprofit organizations for their outstanding achievements and model approaches to business and management. The awards are presented to companies that have been in business for at least three years and are small businesses based on the number of full-time employees.

Jewish Family Services of Delaware’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Karen “Renna” Van Oot has been selected as the new Chief Executive Officer. She began her role on July 18, 2022.

Ms. Van Oot was raised in Wilmington, DE and received her BA from the University of Delaware. She earned a dual master’s degree in Social Service and Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College. Renna was awarded her Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law.

Renna is a dynamic and versatile professional with over 30 years of experience in the development, growth and leadership of government, non for profit and business organizations. She has expertise in nonprofit management with emphasis on strategic planning and organizational restructuring and is knowledgeable in a breadth of nonprofit related issues. She brings a talent for building and maintaining strong business and community relationships.

Renna comes to JFS after serving as Executive Director of Family Promise of Southern Chester County; prior to that, she was the COO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region (Philadelphia).

Click here to read a Q&A with Renna in the July issue of Jewish Living Delaware.

Written by: Michele Sands

When my husband and I walked into the first Memory Café sponsored by Jewish Family Services of Delaware I immediately felt myself relax.

Calming strains of Hawaiian music surrounded us as we found a place at the table with other individuals experiencing memory changes and their care partners. The program about Hawaii, led by JFS Social Work intern and Hawaii native, Keriann Bennett, gave us the opportunity to share experiences and learn fun facts about one another and Hawaii in an accepting and welcoming environment. By the end of the afternoon, I felt like I could just as easily have been on the beach with friends.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease or any loss of memory can be the beginning of a lonely journey for the person with the diagnosis and the individual(s) responsible for his/her care. While the physician who makes the diagnosis (usually a neurologist) may confirm that the patient is experiencing more than typical “senior moments” and will often prescribe a medication to temporarily slow the progression of the disease, doctors may not offer information about the resources available to cope with the changes that will occur. Instead, the care partner and other family members are left to explore the options on their own. This was our experience after my husband Howard’s diagnosis.

I first noticed signs that Howard had gaps in his memory and some confusion late in 2012. I gave examples of these episodes to his primary care physician and asked for a referral to a neurologist. After a few visits, Howard was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, which we were told does not always develop into Alzheimer’s. Recognizing the importance of early intervention, I reached out to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Delaware Valley Chapter in April of 2014 and received information about educational programs, support groups, a 24/7 helpline, and other resources. Equipped with more knowledge, I felt slightly more at ease, but by October 2014, Howard’s diagnosis had changed to Alzheimer’s Disease and I was determined to find additional resources and a network of support.

Although the Delaware Valley Chapter has an office in New Castle County, it did not offer a sufficient number of programs locally to meet our needs at the time. However, we were able to attend an eight-week information program in Media, PA for those with early stage Alzheimer’s, which later evolved into a monthly support group for those with the diagnosis and the care partners; care partners continued to meet monthly to share updates and offer support to one another after the official group concluded in 2017. I also attend a support group at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute that I have found to be very valuable, especially since it is led by a licensed social worker who has been a care partner herself. Each of these groups and resources were helpful in their own way.

Navigating the care system doesn’t have to be difficult because there are so many resources, but it helps to become part of a support system. I became familiar with the Memory Café concept a few years ago and felt it was important to have the program available in our own community. A Memory Café is a meeting place for individuals living with changes in their thinking or memory, mild cognitive impairment, or dementia due to Alzheimer’s Disease or a related disorder. It’s a place to relax, have fun, and meet others who understand and connect with your experiences; it’s an inclusive space and a diagnosis of dementia is not required to attend. Memory Cafés are also a place for care partners to enjoy a change of scenery and routine, meet other care partners, exchange ideas and learn about resources, and experience respite and renewal in their relationship with the person in their life who has dementia.

I suggested this unique program idea to Jewish Family Services last summer and I am grateful to Karen Commeret, JFS’ Director of Care Management, for making this a reality for me, for Howard, and for other individuals experiencing memory changes and their caregivers.

It is my hope that this important program will reach all those in our community who need a place to unwind and connect with others who understand the challenges associated with dementia. Building a network of support is essential and I’m pleased to be part of creating this new opportunity in Delaware.