September 17th is coming up quickly, so please register now! This is going to be an incredibly informative evening! There is much to learn, yes, but also so much to take advantage of! Start creating your best possible future, today!

Please join us in congratulating Fran Gafvert on her retirement from Jewish Family Service. Fran dedicated 17 years to JFS and has played a vital part in the success of the agency. In her latest role as Director of Vital Services at our Barbash Family Vital Support Center, Fran led a team of social workers, case managers and food pantry staff that work endlessly in combatting hunger, homelessness and chronic mental health challenges in the Clifton area and for our Jewish families who struggle.

Read the article: https://www.jfscinti.org/news-and-events-1/

Thanks to a grant from Jewish Federation of North America, Jewish Family Service has partnered with Cedar Village Senior Living Community to reconnect Cedar Village Holocaust survivors with community Holocaust survivors, family, and friends. Now Cedar Village residents and visitors can enjoy our monthly Russian Tea Clubs and Coffee Clubs. Some of the activities at these events include group crossword puzzles, flower arranging and drumming circles. Last month, participants enjoyed lunch at the Brown Dog Café and a tour of Summit Park during one of our quarterly outings.

Helping people age with security and dignity emerged as the community’s top priority during our strategic planning process for Jewish Family Service. It's also our largest service area today! Last week’s American Israelite featured some of the findings from the community research phase of our strategic planning and where the future of JFS is headed.

Read the article: http://bit.ly/2ksC4tq

Don't put off planning for your future! Read this article to find out more about the ins and outs of Medicare.

Are you prepared for a medical emergency? Is your family? Read this AgeWell story to get valuable information.

We are excited to extend our support to Tikvaseinu, a powerful women's group for the Cincinnati Jewish Community. The monthly group is designed to empower women and their families who experience mental health issues - a topic that JFS continues to tackle. The first group event included over 70 women who came together to hear guest speaker, Rachel Zimmerman, LPCP, talk about the mental health crisis in America, and discover ways to find their path to happiness.

Learn more: https://www.jfscinti.org/news-and-events/

Last month kicked off the first session of our weaving group at our Barbash Family Vital Support Center. Participants stringed looms and wove the first row of their wall hangings, with plans to finish them this month! Weaving is a process that is reliant upon patience and method, and this calming craft is a good way for clients to release anxious thoughts into creative designs.

AgeWell Cincinnati offers great advice about quality home care in this story: read on for all the details!

On July 4 the United States celebrated its Independence Day. To honor it, Jewish Family Service intern, Susanna Smith, facilitated a unique art project called “Fireworks” for clients of the Russian Jewish Cultural Center. Smith is a graduate student at Miami University (Ohio) and is involved with the Opening Minds through Art (OMA) program. OMA is an art program for people with dementia to have an opportunity to make choices and express themselves. The project featured an Independence Day motif with a few surprise elements, including using forks as painting tools. The idea of the project was to create something that did not have a right or wrong way to do it.

Looking ahead to a fun-filled weekend? Here are some great tips on how to fuel youself so you can stay energized and active!

On July 13th our Barbash Family Vital Support Center hosted a group of 5 adults from Netanya visiting Cincinnati on a culinary exchange program. We had an in-depth conversation about issues of hunger in both of our countries, solutions to food insecurity, and how Jewish Family Service makes an impact with our Heldman Family Food Pantry and garden. They weeded and then harvested greens and kale that were ready to serve clients that afternoon. They loved the concept of our "choice pantry" that allows families to choose their food rather than pre-bagging the items for everyone as is still the norm at many distribution sites in Israel.

We are in need of English- and Russian- speaking volunteers for our Tablets and Technology: Alleviating Isolation in Holocaust Survivor's program. This upcoming 8 week session runs August 1 - October 10. Volunteers will meet once a week for one hour in the survivor's home and teach them the basics of how to use an iPad. This program helps reduce isolation and depression by assisting seniors with remaining connected to family, friends, and the wider community.

For more information:
skaplan@jfscinti.org
or visit https://www.jfscinti.org/tablets-and-tech-volunteer/

A great story about AgeWell Cincinnati!

This weekend calls for a high heat index, and people aged 65 and older are prone to heat-related health problems. Please remember to check on your loved ones to make sure they are safe.

Here is a link to the CDC with some great tips on how to ensure your family and friends stay safe during hot weather.

StarPoint Home Care had a great breakfast today with Village Home Health and Hospice!