20 | JUNE 16 • 2022 

M

ichigan-based nonprofit JARC 
nominated Janis Shulman of 
Farmington Hills to be our next 
Volunteer of the Week for her dedication 
and involvement with the organization 
over the years. The nonprofit serves people 
with developmental disabilities via group 
homes, independent living support and 
in-home respite care.
“Janis Shulman has been involved with 
JARC for many, many years,
” said Jenny 
Kabert, director of philanthropy at JARC. 
“She is a board member, volunteer, chairs 
multiple committees and is happy to help 
however needed. She is very generous with 
JARC and has multiple funds to help the 
people we serve and our staff.
”
Shulman began dedicating her time 
with JARC 16 years ago and currently sits 
on the board of directors as one of its vice 
presidents. 
Shulman says JARC has become part 
of her whole family’s life throughout the 
years.
“My kids were introduced to JARC at 
a young age,
” explained Shulman, who 
stopped working as a social worker in 
1983 to raise a family with her husband, 
Larry Shulman. While she wasn’t working 
full time, her passion to help others 
didn’t go away. She says with her extra 
time she started volunteering for various 
organizations. “I had been involved 

with ORT (a global Jewish educational 
network). Since my kids started school, I 
was also involved in volunteering in the 
classrooms.
”
Larry, who used to be on the board 
of JARC, introduced the family to the 
organization, and it was history from there. 
“We went to a Shabbat dinner at one of 
the homes, a home that provides services 
for men, and our kids had an incredible 
opportunity to interact with these men 
and got to learn so much about the 
organization.
” 
Shulman says she wasn’t super-involved 
with JARC until her youngest son, Michael, 
who was a senior at the time, asked her 
what she was going to do once he headed 
off to college. He suggested that she should 
reach out to JARC.
“I didn’t even wait till he graduated. 
Right away, I started in the development 
department where they do fundraising and 
outreach, and it was a perfect fit for me,
” 
she said. 
Shulman started volunteering frequently 
at the organization’s office doing general 
mailings, making calls, leading volunteers 
and chairing multiple fundraisers. 
Since 2008, Shulman has been on the 
board of the directors and served on the 
executive committee for many years. 
Shulman says she started out as treasurer 
and later became the vice president and 

continues to hold that position. 
“I’m involved in five committees, and I 
co-chair two of them. It’s been a really nice 
experience.
”
Shulman serves on JARC’s Culture 
and in Engagement Committee, which is 
focused on giving back to the staff.
 “Our hope is to show the staff how 
much we care because the staff is 
everything. Without them, there would be 
no JARC. There would be nobody to take 
care of this incredible group of people who 
need care.
” 
JARC CEO Shaindle Braunstein added 
that the nonprofit is thankful to have 
Shulman around. 
“Janis is the epitome of total selflessness 
and has an overwhelming desire to help 
others.
” Braunstein said. “We are beyond 
blessed to have her as a part of the JARC 
family.
”
Shulman says she loves being part of the 
JARC organization and enjoys taking on 
leadership roles, building relationships and 
making JARC part of her own family. 
“It’s become a very important part of my 
life, working with the staff and the people 
we serve, who are just the most special and 
amazing group of people.
”
Shulman has worked on many projects 
throughout the years. 
 “If they need somebody to do 
something, they can always call on me. 
And if there’s any way I can do it, I say yes,
” 
she added. 

If you would like to nominate someone to be 

the next volunteer of the week, send a nomination 

with a short paragraph telling us why to 

socialmedia@thejewishnews.com.

Years of Dedication 
Meet Janis Shulman, a longtime JARC volunteer.

RACHEL SWEET ASSOCIATE EDITOR 

OUR COMMUNITY
VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK 

Larry and 
Janis 
Shulman

Brian, Rachel, Rory and Hayes Shulman; Larry and 
Janis Shulman; Blake, Julie and Ellie Roter; Michael 
and Julie Shulman (with their dog Ruxbin)

