JFS Staff New Year's Resolutions

What is your New Year's Resolution? Here are some of our staff members' answers - both personal and professional:

"Take better care of myself and JFS by making sure the agency stays financially solid and the service to the community does not get interrupted."
--Yana Vishnitsky, president & CEO

"To volunteer more and get involved in my church. After I recently attended a JFS Hanukkah celebration at a nursing home, I realized how important my faith is to me and want to do more in 2009! My work resolution is to raise more money for JFS!"
--Mary Linder, development associate

"To quote Starbucks...'Do something good every day!'"
--Kari Alpen, graphic designer

"Follow through with my commitments to myself - exercise more, take more time for myself, etc."
--Alaina Green, marketing and public relations associate

"Start doing yoga again."
--Michele Lacey, grants officer

"I miss my friends at the JCC - get back to a more frequent exercise routine - and eat more vegetables!"
--Ron Crowell, Home-Based Services coordinator

"Have more fun (that includes more skiing)!"
--Cathy Grimm, JFS Senior Solutions director

"Exercise more."
--Donna Lutz, Nursing Home Outreach coordinator

"To make JFS at Home have a successful and healthy year (and my puppies, too)!"
--Carla Weeks, JFS at Home director

"To finish my kitchen (which I've been remodeling for months)!"
--Sandy Schmitt, human resources assistant

"To see and talk to my grandson more often (which I will do thanks to my new web cam)!"
--Linda Neuman, receptionist

Our staff knows how to celebrate! We tossed out the traditional holiday decor for this year's staff party. Check out this photo of our flamingo-filled fun!

JFS in the News!

JFS has been spotlighted in several news stories this month, including feature stories on 7News and 9News and articles in the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News. In case you missed the coverage, here's a re-cap:

Counseling

JFS's school-based counseling program, KidSuccess, was featured on 9News in a story about the effects the economy has on children. JFS Counselor Kristen Simpson-Chandler, who is interviewed in the piece, says the agency's counselors are seeing more students this year because they are feeling confused or angry after situations like parents being laid off or hearing that there may be no presents for the holidays this year.

Stacey Weisberg, JFS Counseling Center director, conducted a live interview on the same topic on 7News. She talked about how children are the smallest victims of the economy and warning signs when kids feel stressed or worried. In addition to discussing the KidSuccess program, she informed viewers about the JFS Counseling Center and how accessible help is during these difficult times - counseling services are available on a sliding-fee scale and most insurance plans are accepted. We're working on getting a link on our Web site to this story.

Reel Hope
JFS's annual movie premiere fundraiser was highlighted in an article by Joanne Davidson, Denver Post society reporter. She played with the fact that it was the fundraiser's 13th year and how superstitious people find that number unlucky. However, despite the state of the economy, the event was a success!

Family Safety Net
JFS's Family Safety Net program was a recipient of this year's Post-News Season to Share, a McCormick Foundation Fund that raises money for over 65 agencies serving disadvantaged children, people who are hungry, homeless, or in need of medical care. As the Rocky Mountain News article states, "Catching people before they fall is the goal of Jewish Family Service's emergency assistance program, Family Safety Net. The hungry and those in danger of losing their home can tap into the Safety Net's key programs: the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Food Pantry, an emergency assistance plan, and the HOME Alliance, designed to prevent homelessness."

Check out more of our recent press coverage...

--Alaina Green and Kari Alpen, JFS Marketing Department

Movie Premiere Raises Funds for JFS

Jewish Family Service recently honored community leaders Dr. Nancy Gary and Daniel Seff at Reel Hope-Take 13, a movie-themed fundraiser at Regal Cinemas Continental Stadium 10 and Giant Screen in Denver. Despite difficult economic times and a smaller theater capacity due to stadium seating renovations, the event sold out the 600-seat main auditorium and raised $400,000 to support JFS's many programs!

Complete with Hollywood-style lighting effects, the festivities featured a movie screening, the presentation of a touching JFS agency video, a brief awards ceremony, dinner, and dessert reception. Les Shapiro, a celebrity emcee, businessman and sportscaster, added the perfect mix of humor and professionalism as Master of Ceremonies.

If you missed it, we missed you, too! Don't worry, our next fundraiser is the JFS Executive Luncheon featuring Guest Speaker Frank Abagnale, author of his best-selling true story Catch Me If You Can on May 12th. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting event!

View photos from the event!

--Kari Alpen and Alaina Green, JFS Marketing Department

Learn HERstory Through Art

More than 60 people attended an artist reception for Marilyn Lande's art exhibit featuring her new works entitled “MECHITZAH – HER Story Metamorphosed, A Magazine” on Novermber 19th at JFS's Rafael Spiritual Healing Center.

Lande created these magazine pages with photography and collage. This new work is meant to hint at the volumes of issues one would have to create to do justice to all the women who have contributed to the story of the Jewish people - without which there would not be a Jewish people. Her images celebrate, invoke, and reveal both Jewish history and Jewish women’s history that has been hidden, buried, forgotten, or unacknowledged.

As Marilyn states, “My photographic works are visual translations of life and history often emphasizing my inner connection to the Jewish people. By subsuming the past into the present I hope to engage the viewer to add to his/her knowledge and reality, and enrich their particular visions.”
Lande, a Denver conceptual artist, photographer, videographer, and independent researcher has spent many years exploring the history of Jewish women, and the way that history and Jewish heritage and faith has influenced the art and lives of Jewish women.

The show is running through mid-February so call (303) 597.5000 x392 and make an appointment for a private showing or group tour with the artist before it's too late! Learn more about Marilyn Lande...

Cynthia Heller, Rafael Spiritual Healing Center director, Artist Marilyn Lande, and Georgina Kolber, Mizel Museum curator at the reception.

--Alaina Green and Kari Alpen, JFS Marketing Department