Jewish Family Service: Elevating the SB Community

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE

dedicated to strengthening the quality of life for individuals and families, as they face life’s many challenges. JFS offers a full range of professional counseling, support and referral services, without regard to religion, race, ethnicity, or disability. With Jewish values as our guiding principles, we offer care in the spirit of Tikkun Olam — Repairing Our World, such that every soul which is healed can also bring healing to our community, leaving us in a world less broken. With a fully professional clinical staff, Jewish Family Service stands ready to respond to what life holds in store: both the predictable trials of adjustment to life’s inevitable difficulties, as well as the less anticipated personal and communal crises, which arise periodically throughout the course of our lives. Helping to navigate these stormy seas — whether from a psychological, an interpersonal, or financial point of view — and to facilitate a resolution to the storm with compassion

WHOEVER SAVES ONE LIFE, SAVES THE WHOLE WORLD…

– The Talmud

For close to 50 years, Jewish Family Service (JFS) has been making a difference in the lives of those in the Santa Barbara community,

and dignity restored, is the goal of our work at JFS. Jewish Family Service is one of over 150 members of the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA), representing Jewish human service organizations throughout the United States and Canada. JFS is unique and one of a handful of social service agencies in our area which accepts Medicare, as well as a number of other insurance carriers. We provide therapeutic counseling services for individuals, couples, and families, as well as groups, including a Therapeutic Journaling Group, Jewish Bereavement Group, and a Holocaust Survivor Support Group. our Caring Visitors Program provides support for vulnerable individuals at home, with volunteer visitors who offer comfort and conversation to those most isolated.

Nourishment for the body, as well as for the soul!

With an emphasis on wellness, JFS also sponsors a number of community programs with this in mind. Our Schmooze Room Nutritional Lunch Program serves 50-60 seniors and other community members each week, with a healthy homemade lunch, as well as an educational or entertaining program to go along with this nourishment. Nourishment for the body, as well as for the soul! Thanks to the partnership of the Food Bank of Santa Barbara, we are also able to provide food staples to those who need it when they leave this program each week. Other wellness programs, such as Easy Yoga for Every Body are also offered.

Community involvement is a high priority for us at Jewish Family Service — at every level. For this reason, we are committed to continuing educational programming for mental health providers and clinicians in our community. Under the auspices of the local National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Santa Barbara chapter, we host a number of programs each year, bringing together various disciplines and colleagues working in many different settings, with the hope of elevating our community to new heights of understanding and mutual respect.