By Morgan Goad, Associate Director of Development, Jewish Family Services
The JFS team was thrilled to welcome back our volunteers and friends to celebrate our 173rd Annual Meeting in person again!
Most guests braved the record-breaking heat to catch up underneath the tent pitched between our two office buildings. In true Richmond fashion, the combination of ample shade, cold drinks, and bug spray made for a pleasant summer evening.
After enjoying some much-needed socializing, everyone gathered in the JFS Board Room for the program.
CEO Wendy Kreuter and Board President Eric Shoenfeld were proud to honor our outgoing Board Members for their dedicated service to JFS, our clients, and the entire Richmond community: Jessica Samet, Tom Topinka, Shanaye La Beaud, Jake Hughes, and Rabbi Martin Beifield Jr.
They were then thrilled to welcome our newest Board Members to the JFS family: Dr. David Galpern, Ashley Noell, Ryan Mitchell, and Cantor Dara Rosenblatt!
Wendy and Eric then shared some of the successes of the year while focusing on how, over the last 173 years, JFS has constantly evolved and innovated to find new ways to meet the needs of the Richmond community.
Collaboration has always been essential to expanding our impact, from 1849 to today, as we partner with the Federation to resettle Jewish families from Ukraine, we partner with foundations and thought leaders in the community to find strategies to recruit and retain healthcare workers, and we partner with organizations and communities in the East End to provide mental health services to children.
Featured in the program were the voices of JFS partners in the East End speaking about the JFS Personal Care Aide training program and our Partnership for Behavioral Health – Mary Wooldridge of Richmond Public School’s Head Start program and Fairfield Court’s Certified Community Health Worker, Keandra Holloway.
JFS volunteer leader, Ron Felmus, also joined by video to talk about our hospice partnership with Beth Sholom.
Our newest staff members, Drs. Jennifer Morgan and Joy O’Grady, were included explaining Memory Assessment Services for older adults, now available at JFS.
As we embark on a new year of serving Richmond, we are looking ahead to a momentous anniversary on the horizon: 175 years of Transforming Lives and Strengthening Our Community. It will be here before we know it. Come be a part of this life transforming and community strengthening work!
If you are interested in getting involved in our mission, please get in touch with Morgan at mgoad@jfsrichmond.org.
Jewish Family Services is supported, in part, by a generous annual contribution and programming grants from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.
