JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF THE DESERT

JFS OFFERS MANY ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT COACHELLA VALLEY RESIDENTS. FOR INSTANCE: JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF THE DESERT (JFS) IS A NONSECTARIAN PROVIDER OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO COACHELLA VALLEY RESIDENTS THAT OFFERS SEVERAL LOW- TO NO-COST SERVICES TO HELP STABILIZE HOUSEHOLDS, FINANCIALLY AND MENTALLY. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, 17,132 SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 4,045 UNDUPLICATED CLIENTS. APPROXIMATELY 55% OF CLIENTS IDENTIFIED AS FEMALE, AND 45% IDENTIFIED AS MALE. ETHNICITY AND RACE DEMOGRAPHICS CLOSELY MIRROR THE COACHELLA VALLEY'S OVERALL DEMOGRAPHICS. APPROXIMATELY 92 AGENCY VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED 3,985 VOLUNTEER HOURS. THE JFS AUXILIARY, A GROUP OF SELF-GOVERNED VOLUNTEERS, SUCCESSFULLY COORDINATED ITS ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT, "THE AGING BRAIN," ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2024, AT THE INDIAN WELLS COUNTRY CLUB. AUTHOR AND LECTURER, DR. MARC MILSTEIN, AUTHOR OF "THE AGE-PROOF BRAIN," OFFERED HELPFUL TIPS AND LIFESTYLE ADVICE TO HELP STAVE OFF THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF AGING, HELPING PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND HOW TO BETTER RETAIN THEIR COGNITIVE ABILITIES. PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT SUPPORT THE AUXILIARY'S FAMILY GIVING CIRCLE AND THE JFS ANGEL FUND, USED TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS. JFS HELPED COORDINATE THE VALLEY'S FIRST "HEALTHY DESERT HEALTHY YOU" ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMIT, SEPTEMBER 20-21, AT THE WESTIN MISSION HILLS RESORT. THE EVENT, SPONSORED BY THE DESERT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT AND FOUNDATION, PROVIDED UPDATES ON STATE, COUNTY, AND REGIONAL EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SOIL, AIR, AND WATER QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE AREA. THROUGH GENEROUS GRANTS PROVIDED BY THE ANDERSON CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION, BIGHORN CARES, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, CHAMPIONS VOLUNTEER FOUNDATION, CITY OF INDIAN WELLS, CITY OF INDIO, CITY OF PALM DESERT, COETA AND DONALD BARKER FOUNDATION, HOUSTON FAMILY FOUNDATION, THE MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS, AND PHILANTHROPIC GIVERS, APPROXIMATELY 213,304 IN FUNDS WERE DISBURSED FOR EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR THOSE WITH LOW INCOMES. TO HELP REDUCE INCIDENCES OF FRAUD, DISBURSEMENTS WERE MADE DIRECTLY TO VENDORS FOR NECESSITIES SUCH AS OVERDUE RENT AND UTILITIES, FOOD, AND MEDICATIONS. A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE HOUSTON FAMILY FOUNDATION SUPPORTED A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE MIZELL CENTER, DESERT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT & FOUNDATION (DHCDF), AND JFS TO OFFER IN-PERSON CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AT MIZELL ONCE A WEEK, MAINTAIN A LIST OF CURRENTLY AVAILABLE COMMUNITY RESOURCES AVAILABLE VIA THE DHCDF WEBSITE AND JFS WEBSITE WITH A LINK TO THE CONNECT IE WEBSITE FOR GREATER PROGRAM INFORMATION. THE AGENCY'S MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING PROGRAM CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL AGENCIES TO PROVIDE NO-COST, NO-WAIT COUNSELING SERVICES TO PARTNER AGENCY CLIENTS AND MEMBERS OF THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. DURING THE YEAR, JFS PARTNERED WITH SIXTEEN LOCAL AGENCIES, AND 897 NO-COST COUNSELING SESSIONS WERE PROVIDED TO THEIR CLIENTS. FURTHER, JFS OFFERED 56,000 IN CLINICAL SCHOLARSHIPS, MAKING NO-COST CONNECTIONS TO THERAPISTS POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE UNINSURED OR UNABLE TO AFFORD INSURANCE COPAYMENTS. JFS CASE MANAGERS CONTINUED TO HELP RESIDENTS GAIN ACCESS TO AVAILABLE BENEFITS SUCH AS CALFRESH (FOOD STAMPS), LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP), AND MEDI-CAL APPLICATIONS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, 2,666 UNDUPLICATED CLIENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH 5662 SERVICES. OF THE 2,666 CLIENTS, 667 WERE SENIORS 55+ YEARS OF AGE. JFS CASE MANAGERS ALSO PROVIDED SUPERVISION TO TWO HEALTH CAREER CONNECTION (HCC) INTERNS DURING THEIR 10-WEEK PRECEPTOR PROGRAMS, HELPING TO INFORM FUTURE CARE PROVIDERS ABOUT THE NEEDS FACING MANY OF OUR COACHELLA VALLEY NEIGHBORS. THE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO OVERSEE OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INLAND EMPIRE HEALTH PLAN (IEHP) COMMUNITY SUPPORTS PROGRAM BY OFFERING HOUSING NAVIGATION, HOUSING TENANCY, AND HOUSING DEPOSIT SERVICES TO IEHP CLIENTS, AND OUR GOAL REMAINS TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE. JFS CASE MANAGERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADJUDICATING REQUESTS FOR EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND ARE FURTHER RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR NECESSITIES NOTED EARLIER. IMPORTANTLY, JFS CASE MANAGERS CONTINUED TO ADMINISTER FUNDS RECEIVED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO HELP OUR LOCAL HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS IN AREAS SUCH AS RENTAL ASSISTANCE, FOOD SECURITY, DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, UTILITY PAYMENTS, IN-HOME SUPPORT, AND SOCIALIZATION. TO HELP INCREASE OUR SUCCESS IN FINDING HOUSING FOR CLIENTS, JFS BECAME A VOTING MEMBER OF THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE (COC). THE COC IS COMPOSED OF DOZENS OF AGENCIES FOCUSED ON THE REDUCTION OF HOMELESSNESS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THE COC IS OFTEN THE RECIPIENT OF GRANT FUNDING THAT IS TO BE USED TO FURTHER THE GROUP'S GOAL OF REDUCING THE COUNTY'S HOMELESS POPULATION. COC MEMBERSHIP ALLOWS JFS TO BID ON AVAILABLE GRANT DOLLARS; MOST LIKELY, JFS WILL BE PARTNERING WITH OTHER COC MEMBERS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION. JFS REMAINS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE JEWISH PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (JPAC) AND ITS EFFORTS TO WORK WITH THE STATE TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS. THROUGH OUR COMBINED EFFORTS, WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATE FOR THE STATE'S APPROVAL OF CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS LOCATED IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, JFS CONCLUDED ITS 3-YEAR PROGRAM WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, DISTRIBUTING 283,965 IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF THESE IMPORTANT CLIENTS' RENTAL AND HOA ASSISTANCE, FOOD SUPPORT, DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, DENTAL SERVICES, IN-HOME SUPPORT, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, SOCIALIZATION PROGRAMMING, AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. THE JFS COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO OFFER SERVICES DESIGNED TO REDUCE ISOLATION IN OUR COMMUNITY, PRIMARILY AMONG OUR SENIORS 55+ YEARS OLD. TO HELP INCREASE OUR REACH, WE HIRED A COMMUNITY PROGRAMS COORDINATOR TO RUN LET'S DO LUNCH, CAFE EUROPA, CAFE EUROPA 2.0, AND TO COORDINATE THE JFS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. THE CAMPERSHIP PROGRAM CONTINUES TO OFFER NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOCAL YOUTH, 5-17 YEARS OLD, TO ATTEND CAMP. DURING THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR, JFS HELPED SEND 35 KIDS TO CAMP, PROVIDING JUST UNDER 10,000 IN TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS. JFS CONTINUES TO OCCUPY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN SEVERAL LOCAL GROUPS, HELPING TO MAINTAIN OUR STATUS AS RESPECTED AND TRUSTED PROVIDERS AND PARTNERS TO MANY THROUGHOUT THE AREA.