Stewart W. Stearns, President & CEO, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County presented the third annual Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership to Rose Chapman, CEO of JFCS on September 26th at the Nonprofit Resource Center Annual Celebration.

Stewart Stearns praised Rose for “being a unifier; bringing people together, as well as thinking creatively, approaching her job with true vision and being a boundary-crosser-acting not only in the interest of her agency, but in the interest of the community, as well. She is also a first-rate collaborator and finds ways that JFCS can provide added value working with other organization like The Community Foundation.”

The Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership award was created to annually honor a nonprofit executive in Sarasota County who has served as an example and stimulated others to act in ways that significantly improve the quality of life in our community. It is made possible by the Stewart Stearns Leadership Fund of the Community Foundation, a fund created by the Board of Directors in 2004. Rose Chapman was selected by a volunteer committee made up of distinguished community leaders. Prior recipients are Tim Dutton, SCOPE and Carl Weinrich, YMCA.

Rose Chapman, LCSW, President/CEO of JFCS and Stewart W. Stearns, President & CEO of The Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

GRANTS:

Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT)

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice awarded JFCS with a $100,000 grant to expand its targeted school-based prevention services in southern Sarasota County.

JFCS’s Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) intervention program currently serves at-risk students attending Heron Creek Middle School and their families. The goal of this grant is to allow JFCS to provide prevention and intervention services to all families in the southern part of Sarasota County including Englewood, North Port, Nokomis and Osprey. JFCS will also provide additional group programming about substance abuse and gang and domestic violence issues at the area schools. JFCS will also engage communities to develop family support groups at area schools serviced through the grant. JFSC hopes to engage families so they can identify educational programming that would be beneficial to strengthen their family and school communities.

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice’s grant is designed as a matching grant to encourage an additional $80,000 from other sources to fully fund the expansion of BSFT. This program compliments other JFCS school-based programs addressing alternatives to suspension and elementary school counseling and after school prevention services in Sarasota County.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN :

"Never turn away someone need our assistance" regardless of their ability to pay is the goal of JFCS, which has provided services to more than 31,200 inidividuals in our community this year. SInice its founding in 1985, the agency has experienced significant program growth and with that an increased demand for services.

Our organizational growith and response to community needs:

	1987	1997	2007
# of Staff	3	22	60
# of Clients	200	4,650	27,338
# of Locations	1	3	16
Annual Budget	$150,000	$677,000	$3,000,000

This rapid growth has resulted in a lack of sufficient space for individual counseling and support groups. In response to the overcrowded facilities, the Board of Directors voted in September 2007 to undertake an expansion project to build a 6,000 sq. ft. addition on the Main Campus on Fruitville Road. This expansion will provide JFCS with 21 additional offices, two group rooms, a 120-seat conference center and house the Senior Services Program, Jewish Healing Program and an expanded Counseling Center.

To accomplish this expansion, JFCS is embarking on a community-wide Capital Campaign to raise $5 million. This includes $2.6 million for the construction costs including site preparation, construction and furnishings for the 6000 sq. ft. addition and upgrading of the current structure and $2.4 million for Endowment to ensure a long-term stable source of income to support agency programs and services.

Thanks to the generosity of Betty Schoenbaum and The Schoenbaum Family Foundation, Inc., JFCS is the beneficiary of a $1 Million Challenge Grant. This Challenge Grant is a 1:1 match, thus providing significant opportunities for donors to leverage their gifts.

Please support JFCS in its Building for a Better Community Campaign and help us to continue making a difference in the lives of children, families, and seniors in our community. To learn more about our campaign and pledge your support, please call Andria Bilan Vice President of Development at 366-2224.

Click to view:

Floorplan

Capital Campaign Background/Objectives and Standards of Excellence

What you need to know about JFCS

Naming Opportunities and Fundraising Goals & Allocation

PROGRAMS:

Doula Services

As part of the Jewish Healing Program, Doula Services offers specially trained volunteers to accompany individuals and their families during times of life altering illness and advanced aging. These volunteers provide comfort, companionship and practical assistance, as well as spiritual and emotional support. Volunteers are matched with families and persons in need of support after completing an intensive six-week training program. The project utilizes consultation and support through JFCS, Harriet Finer and the Shira Rusky Institute. Ongoing training and volunteer support is an integral part of the program.

If you are interested in serving as a Doula Volunteer or you know someone who could benefit from the services, please contact Dale Block, Jewish Healing Program Director, at (941)366-2224.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

SAVE THE DATE!