History
The roots of Jewish Family Services date back to the late 1970s when a group of dedicated volunteers came together to address the needs of the growing number of refugees arriving in Ann Arbor from the Soviet Union. This resulted in the creation in 1978 of the Soviet Jewry Absorption Committee (SJAC) of Washtenaw County. In the late 1980s, the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County took over the resettlement project, as the wave of immigration in 1989/90 was the largest since the turn of the century. When Jewish Family Services was officially founded in 1993, the resettlement of new Americans became a major program of the agency. Since then, JFS has grown to serve more than 5,000 clients annually, providing them with direct and support social services, including: *Refugee Resettlement *ESL *Employment / Career services for all non-English speaking clients *Case Management and Care Coordination *Family Life Education *Mental Health Referral program *Volunteer Services
Specialties
Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County is a non-profit social services agency serving everyone in our community. JFS specializes in providing innovative programs and essential services to Washtenaw County residents ranging from older adult caregiving (including Care Coordination, Case Management and medical appointment accompaniment) to immigrant resettlement (including Citizenship Classes, English as a Second Language classes and legal support) and career services (such as resume building workshops, job training and placement, and support throughout one's career). As an agency in Washtenaw County that serves a diverse, international population, the mission of Jewish Family Services is to create solutions, promote dignity and inspire humanity. JFS Services Include: * Customized Professional Development Training * Continuing Education Courses for Social Workers * Thrive Counseling Services * English as Second Language Classes * Citizenship Classes * Partners in Care Concierge (Medical Appointment Accompaniment Program) * Employment Services * Case Management/Crisis Management * Specialty Food Pantry * Older Adult Services * Community Education Programs * ElderLink (Cultural Training) * Transportation Services * Volunteer Services