FROM THE PRESIDENT John D. Marx, President, JFS At the close of our program year it is gratifying to look back at what we have accomplished. It has been a busy year in which the visibility of Jewish Family Service in our community has been vastly increased. Because of spatial con- straints, I will be able to enumerate only a small portion of that which has transpired. MERGER WITH RESETTLEMENT SERVICE Resettlement Service has long been housed at JFS and the two agencies have shared an Executive Director and other administrative staff. After six months of planning and cooperative efforts, RS offi- cially became a part of our JFS family. The merger was formally announced at our joint Annual Meeting on June 8. I look forward to working closely with Betsy Winkelman, now a JFS Vice-President, and her entire Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The staffs and boards of both agencies are to be congratulated on a smooth merger which will ensure continuous service to all clients in an efficient and caring manner. MERGER WITH THE JEWISH HOUSE OF SHELTER The Jewish House of Shelter has also operated as a part of JFS for many years. It provides temporary housing for Jews passing through our community. At the meeting on June 8, the merger of JFS with the JHS was announced. Many thanks are owed to Jerry Bielfield, JHS President, for his long term relationship with JHS and his invaluable contribution to our community over the past several years. COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING Our Education Forum Committee pre- sented three outstanding programs during the past year. Last fall, in collaboration with four other community institutions, we uti- lized four experts in their fields to present an excellent overview of End of Life Issues. In March, two of our social work staff mem- bers provided more than 125 attendees with a thorough insight into the complexities of Defining the Limits: The Lines Between Discipline and Abuse. Finally, in May, Christina Crawford, author of Mommie Dearest. was the guest speaker at our second annual Reva Stocker Educational Lecture Series. GAEP This year marked the 15th anniversary of our Group Apartments for the Elderly pro- gram. We continue to operate seven apart- ments at North Park Place Apartments in Southfield, providing a supportive living environment for 21 older adults. This year, we can count our first married couple among our residents. AIDS FUNDING Under the federally funded Ryan White Act and, most recently, through the resources of the Michigan AIDS Fund, a project of the Council of Michigan Foundations. JFS received funds to provide necessary counselling and transportation ser- vices for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their affected family members. OUTREACH PROGRAMS Our JFS social workers continue to be in •errand around our community, participat- ing in panel discussions, making presenta- tions to a variety of groups and institutions, e nd facilitating workshops for other profes- ionals. JFS is proud of its many joint ven- ures with other agencies. While pleased with the many exciting vents of the past year, we are continually ooking toward the future. We are working and to embrace the changes that are being mandated on federal and state levels, all the hile making our commitment to our clients ur number one priority. DEBRA EDWARDS NAMED 1994/95 STAFF PERSON OF THE YEAR Each year, the agency desig- nates a specific staff person who meets the extensive criteria estab- lished for this award. The hon- oree should make a unique con- tribution to clients and fellow employees through a positive and helpful attitude; set an example to others for high standards of professional practice and be open to personal growth and develop- ment; embrace innovation, make a conscious contribution towards improving systems in the agency, Alan Goodman and John Marx congratulate Debra demonstrate a commitment to the Edwards. agency and add positively to the atmosphere in the workplace. A committee including past honorees, the Executive Director and Associate Executive Director carefully evaluated nominees against the stated criteria. Debra Edwards, Financial Assistance Worker/Fee Counselor, was named as the JFS 1994/95 Staff Person of the Year. For the past five years, Debra has advocated strongly on behalf of clients seeking emergency financial assistance. Her primary responsiblities include facilitating advoca- cy and supportive services for financial assitance clients and conducting fee assessments for new clinical clients. According to her supervisor, Judith S. Stevenson, MSW, Debra's "commitment to seeking solutions for clients needs is outstanding. She has an unlimited dedication to serving her clients while staying in the parameters of established agency and government policies." The staff and board congratulate Debra on this special honor. JFS WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS Jewish Family Service welcomed new board members at its recent Annual Meeting. The nominating committee, under the chairmanship of Janice Shatzman, Past President, presented the following slate of officers and Executive Committee members: President: John Marx, D.D.S. Executive Committee: Vice President: Marta Rosenthal Caren Landau-Levine Vice President: Brent Triest Janice Shatzman Vice President: Betsy Winkelman Jeannie Weiner Secretary: Andrew Barbas Stewart Weiner Treasurer: Gary Snyder Kathleen Wilson-Fink Additionally, the following slate was presented as members of the 1995/96 Board of Directors: Richard Barr; Ann Bass; Barbara Berry; Julie Bodnick, Robyn Canvasser; Rhonda Dean-Pad; Margaret Demant; Fayga Dombey; Pola Friedman; Francine Gold; Nancy Grand; Gail Hennes; Selwyn Isakow; Austin Kanter; Michelle Kleiman; Mark Landau; Isaac Lakritz; Terran Leemis; Martin Levinson, MD; Myron Liner; Roman Lundin; M. Jeffrey Maisels, MD; Ann Mandelbaum Mann; Frederic Marblestone; Irving Nusbaum; Jo Elyn Nyman; Edith Resnick; Janis Roszler; Roman Shlafer, DDS; Rose Lynn Schlussel; Lois Shiffman; Gilbert "Buzz" Silverman; Linda Soberman; Nathaniel Warshay; Lucille Weisberg; Alan Yost; Helaine Zack; Linda Zaretzki. We congratulate new and returning members of the Board of Directors and wish them all a long, rewarding association with Jewish Family Service. JFS AND RS HOST ANNUAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION LUNCHEON "Giving and Growing" was the theme of this year's annual volunteer recognition luncheon which took place during May at the JPM Branch of the Jewish Community Center. A beautiful buffet luncheon was served, and the many volunteers who attended enjoyed entertainment provided by musician Ben Opengeim, along with a pre-luncheon musical interlude by Itzhac Prikupets. Carolyn Davidson, Program Manager, and the staff of the Volunteer Services Department wishes to extend many thanks to the Volunteer Services Steerina. Committee and to its Special Programs Sub-Committee for their hard work. Ms. Davidson says: "Jewish Family Service and Resettlement Service rely heavily upon the services performed every day by our many faithful volunteers." She adds this message to our volunteers: "You are a blessing!" Volunteers and staff enjoy the recent annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon To join the agency as a volunteer or to find out more information about ways in which volunteers can meet community needs, please contact Carolyn Davidson, Program Manager, Volunteer Services Department, at (810) 559-1500. JFS/RS HONOR VOLUNTEERS Jewish Family Service and Resettlement Service announced their volunteers of the year at the recent joint Annual Meeting. The volunteers of the year were chosen from an active corps of over 350 JFS/RS volunteers. Yusya Lekhtman was named Resettlement Service Volunteer of the Year. She was so appreciative of the help she and her family received from Resettlement Service when they arrived here in 1991 that, in 1993, she asked to volunteer in the Volunteer Services office. Because she remembers what it means to be in a new country, Yusya works particu- larly well with new Americans who call to make transportation arrangements. Yusya's current goal is to become an American citizen. It is certain she will succeed and we will have another reason to wish her Mazal Tov. On her original application, Esther Ressler, Jewish Family Service Volunteer of the Year, stated her reason for wanting to volunteer as: "...the need is so great for so many people I want to help." This was written in 1972. Esther has worked, ever since, on Tuesdays, for the past 23 years. She enjoys the distinction of being our volunteer with the longest continuous ser- vice. Esther's first volunteer role for the agency was that of driver. Her lightheart- ed outlook always relaxed clients who were on their way to difficult medical appointments. This attitude has followed Esther from her services as driver, to her current role as office assistant in the Volunteer Services office, where she has worked since 1978. She handles difficult clients expertly, always acknowledging their needs with kindness and grace. Esther and Yusya are wished all the best from the Board of Directors and staff of Jewish Family Service and Resettlement Service. They are valuable members of our special team. PROGRAM ENHANCES OUTREACH EFFORTS Working with the National Council of Jewish Women — Greater Detroit Section, co-sponsors of SAFE PLACE, a shelter for Jewish women and children, JFS WIN- DOWS program staff are developing sev- eral methods of community education and outreach about domestic violence. Some of the recent efforts include: • The development of an eye-catching poster and advertisements to create awareness of SAFE PLACE and the WINDOWS Program within the Jewish community. • The distribution of a bookmark detail- ing safe dating practices for men and women. The bookmarks are currently available at no cost at several local bookstores and may soon be available through your local library. If you would like your own "safe dating" bookmark or would like to distribute the bookmarks in your community, please contact Phil Elliott, WINDOWS Program Coordinator, at (810) 559-1500.