A retirement party was held via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 2, for Hedy Dalin, who for 21 1/2 years has served the clients of Jewish Family Service in a variety of roles, particularly as a problem solver for elders and as a mentor for more recently hired staff members. Darren Schwartz, chief planning and strategy officer for the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, wrote in: “Hedy has been teacher, partner and confidant in all things Holocaust Survivors for me. She has taught me about the importance of being trauma informed and how to bring dignity into care.”

Asylum seekers in the recently reinstated “Remain in Mexico” program at the San Diego-Tijuana border crossed north for court hearings for the first time on Tuesday. Their introduction to U.S. immigration court was marred by technological snafus and general confusion on the part of officials about procedures for the program’s reboot with added complications from the ongoing pandemic — as well as ongoing issues that were apparent in the program’s earlier version. Kate Clark, Sr. Director of Immigration, was interviewed as JFS was present to serve as an informal friend of the court.

“The process of strengthening our governance has been one of incredible teamwork. And as we wrote the application and associated supporting materials, it was a joy to reflect on the outstanding work of JFS and the parts that our board and committees play in supporting JFS’ far-reaching and impactful work to improve the lives of people in our San Diego community,” said Jewish Family Service Board Chair Emily Jennewein.

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) has received the 2022 Kaleidoscope Award for Good Governance by The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego, in the large organization category – reserved for nonprofits with an annual budget of $10 million or more. This prestigious award honors engaged board leadership in the San Diego region’s nonprofit sector, and annually recognizes organizations for the exceptional work of their boards in providing crucial leadership, guidance, and oversight to the nonprofits they serve.

“Many of our local seniors are homebound and don’t have access to transportation,” said Michael Hopkins, CEO of JFS. “We can’t let this stand in the way for older adults who want to receive a vaccine or booster. We want people to know we’re here to help.”

The University of San Diego (USD) recognized the work that three non-profit organizations have carried out during the difficult times of the pandemic over the past 18 months.

The Kaleidoscope Good Governance Awards were presented to the Jewish Family Services of San Diego, Just in Time for Foster Youth, and Border Angels.

With the Omicron variant raising new concerns about Covid-19, Jewish Family Service is offering free rides to local seniors who want to receive COVID-19 vaccine booster shots or the original vaccine – a service desperately needed since many local seniors are homebound and don’t have access to transportation. In this radio interview, Kristine Stensberg, Sr. Director of Nutrition and Aging Care, and Marilyn Greenblatt, Director of Transportation, discuss this service and other community impacts of On the Go.

In San Diego County, we know all too well the consequences of an under-funded child care system. Families pay upwards of $20,000 annually for infant care – more than double the annual tuition at San Diego State University. In this Op-Ed, Erin Hogeboom of San Diego For Every Child, discusses the importance of making an investment in children now.

Jewish Family Service’s Safe Parking Program is relocating to the Encinitas Community & Senior Center during the week of January 25. Funded by state grant money, JFS’s homeless parking lot program seeks to help what organizers often describe as a community’s “invisible homeless population” — people who have recently become homeless and are living in their vehicles on a temporary basis. The goal is to provide them with a helping hand and keep them from spiraling downward into a permanent homeless state, organizers have said.

Esta familia salió huyendo de Michoacán, México, donde su vida corría peligro. Inicialmente tenían planeado cruzar la frontera el 1 de diciembre, pero el nacimiento de la hija de Yunuen se adelantó; sin embargo, su cita para solicitar asilo fue reprogramada y ahora permanecerán en un albergue en Estados Unidos hasta que se cumpla la nueva fecha para acudir ante un juez a presentar su caso. Más noticias aquí.

Jewish Family Service of San Diego announced it would begin offering free rides to local seniors who want to receive COVID- 19 vaccine booster shots or the original vaccine. Rides are provided through their On the Go transportation program. “With the CDC’s recent recommendation about booster shots for seniors, we want people to know that we stand at the ready to provide free rides for seniors who want a booster shot or still need the initial vaccine,” CEO Michael Hopkins said.

In November, San Diego sector stood as the sixth busiest of the border’s nine regional crossing points. Almost 18,000 migrants were encountered here during the same month. Concerns over rising rates of COVID-19 in Baja California and the new threat of the Omicron variant have pushed shelters to take greater precautions to keep their clients and staff safe, Kate Clark, Senior Director of Immigration Services & Lead Immigration Attorney at Jewish Family Service of San Diego, told Newsweek.

In this opinion piece by Dana Toppel, Chief Operating Officer, she stresses that this New Year must have a resolution of not returning to what wasn’t working, especially when we know a better way is possible.

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) is offering free rides to local seniors who want to receive COVID-19 vaccine booster shots – or the original vaccine – as part of the agency’s continued efforts to provide meaningful services to help San Diegans through pandemic challenges.

An immigrant from Albania, she now helps others settle in the U.S. Etleva Bejko, JFS’s Director of Refugee & Immigration Services, is profiled in this article in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The controversial “Remain in Mexico” policy requires asylum seekers to stay across the border while their cases are processed. The Biden administration insists it wants to end the policy but a court order is forcing the Department of Homeland Security to restart it. Kate Clark, JFS Sr. Director of Immigration Services is interviewed.

San Diego for Every Child — a nonprofit coalition housed under Jewish Family Service of San Diego — intends to select 150 families disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to receive cash payments over the course of two years. “This is unrestricted cash without work requirements which allows people to spend the money on whatever their families need,” Khea Pollard, Director of San Diego for Every Child says in this video interview.

San Diego for Every Child — a nonprofit coalition housed under Jewish Family Service of San Diego — intends to select 150 families disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to receive cash payments over the course of two years. “Social justice starts with economic equity,” said Khea Pollard, Director of San Diego for Every Child. “Our Guaranteed Income Project is designed to support families who were not only hit hardest by COVID-19, but who were struggling to make ends meet before.” Khea Pollard is also interviewed in this video clip.

San Diego for Every Child — a nonprofit coalition housed under Jewish Family Service of San Diego — intends to select 150 families disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to receive cash payments over the course of two years. Senator Toni Atkins added, “This initiative is designed to lift up our region’s families and combat childhood poverty.”

San Diego for Every Child — a nonprofit coalition housed under Jewish Family Service of San Diego — intends to select 150 families disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to receive cash payments over the course of two years. Senator Ben Hueso added, “Guaranteed income programs like San Diego for Every Child’s can dramatically improve families’ well-being and are an important step to help address some of the economic and social challenges we currently face in this country.” This video segment includes additional footage from the San Diego for Every Child press conference.

San Diego for Every Child — a nonprofit coalition housed under Jewish Family Service of San Diego — intends to select 150 families disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to receive cash payments over the course of two years. National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis is one of dozens of mayors nationally who are in support of the concept. “It’s about providing support in a dignified way, and we believe that is cash”, Khea Pollard, Director of San Diego for Every Child

San Diego for Every Child, una coalición sin fines de lucro ubicada bajo el Servicio de Familias Judías de San Diego, recibió el dinero como parte del presupuesto del estado y tiene la intención de seleccionar 150 familias viviendo en San Diego o National City para recibir pagos durante 24 meses.

San Diego for Every Child — a nonprofit coalition housed under Jewish Family Service of San Diego — intends to select 150 families disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to receive cash payments over the course of two years. Cash is a simple yet powerful way to do the most good for the most children.

The Biden administration will restart the “Remain in Mexico” program, which obligates asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their immigration court cases unfold, as soon as next Monday, according to an announcement Thursday from the federal government. Kate Clark, Senior Director of Immigration Services, details why “Remain in Mexico” is inhumane and should be terminated as soon as possible.

“No strings attached is really straightforward: When folks get the money, they choose what they want to spend it on,” said Khea Pollard, director of San Diego for Every Child, the coalition spearheading the program.

San Diego for Every Child launched in January 2020 and aims to reduce child poverty by 50 percent over the next decade. The coalition, founded by Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-San Diego, and housed under the Jewish Family Service of San Diego, consists of youth advocates, community leaders and agencies such as the Center on Policy Initiatives, the YMCA Childcare Resource Services of San Diego County and the Parent Institute for Quality Education.