Unless otherwise noted, all events are virtual. Some events require an RSVP or enrollment in our programs, so please confirm your spot in advance. Please check directly with JFS on program dates, as dates may change.
Rabbinical Association & Congregations Help Stock the JFS Food Pantry;
Curbside Food Drives March 11 & 21
Passover is just around the corner and the Jewish Family Services Food Pantry needs your support to help those facing food insecurity.
Monthly the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City and area congregations host food drives to help stock the two locations of Jewish Family Services Food Pantry. With the combination of COVID-19 and the wintry weather, donations are needed more than ever.
During March, the focus of the JFS Community Food Drives is personal hygiene and Passover items. Personal hygiene items include shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body wash, bar soap. Passover items needed include grape juice, Matzo ball soup mix and Passover cake mixes.
March Community Food Drives:
-
March 11, 4 – 5:30 p.m., at JFS Food Pantry in Brookside, 425 E. 63rd St. Donors are instructed to pull into a designated parking space on the west side of the building and call the number listed; a volunteer will pick up items directly from cars.
-
March 21, 10 a.m. to Noon, at the Jewish Community Campus, 5801 W 115th St., Overland Park. Drop off will be in the front circle drive where JFS volunteers and staff will take items directly from cars
The JFS Food Pantry is monthly serving more than 900 families and their pets from its two locations, and the numbers continue to grow. For Passover, JFS will provide150 families with appropriate items to enjoy a traditional holiday meal. JFS relies on food drives and donations for 50 percent of the products it distributes. One in four individuals receiving assistance from the JFS Food Pantry also benefit from one or more additional services the agency provides.
If you miss the opportunity to donate during the Community Food Drives, donations can be delivered. at the JFS barrel in the lobby of the Jewish Community Campus during business hours. Donors can also make a financial contribution to purchase items for the pantry at jfskc.org.
In addition to its Food Pantry, JFS provides other essential human services for people facing challenges in everyday life or times of crisis-regardless of faith, age, culture or lifestyle. For more information, visit jfskc.org.
CUTLINE: Volunteer Jacob Hickey holds some of the items sought for the upcoming contactless food drives this month including matzah and matzah ball soup mix.
We are hosting a free community Health Fair at our Brookside East office and food pantry from 1-3 p.m., Oct 1, 425 East 63rd St.
Participants will have the opportunity to receive free services provided by JFS and several of its community partners including:
- Medicaid or Medicare counseling
- COVID-19 vaccine shots
- HIV testing
- Medical assistance
- Food and household items
- Information about JFS’ Counseling and Wellness programs.
“Taking care of your mental and physical health often takes a back a seat when you are struggling financially and facing food and housing insecurities. We see this everyday among our clients,” said Maggie Haghirian, LMSW,director of KesherKC, JFS’ social service and food pantry program.
“Neglecting your health can obviously lead to other ongoing challenges for you and your family,” she said. “We are excited to offer and provide access to many free healthcare services along with our other community partners.
The October 1 Health Fair is open to the public – no registration is required. Participating community partners are KC CARE Health Center, Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet and Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. JFS provides human services for people facing challenges in everyday life or times of crisis — regardless of faith, age, culture or lifestyle.
Jewish Family Services (JFS) is a hosting a free community Health Fair at its Brookside East office at 425 East 63rd St. in Kansas City on October 12 from 3 to 5 p.m.. Participants will have the opportunity to receive free services provided by JFS and several of its community partners including:
- Medicaid or Medicare counseling
- COVID-19 vaccine shots
- Medical assistance
- Food and household items.
- Information about JFS’ Counseling and Wellness programs.
“Taking care of your mental and physical health often takes a back a seat when you are struggling financially and facing food and housing insecurities. We see this everyday among our clients,” said Maggie Haghirian, LMSW, director of KesherKC, JFS’ social service and food pantry program.
“Neglecting your health can obviously lead to other ongoing challenges for you and your family,” she said. “We are excited to offer and provide access to many free healthcare services along with our other community partners.”
The October 12 Health Fair is open to the public – no registration is required. Participating community partners are KC CARE Health Center, Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet and Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. JFS provides human services for people facing challenges in everyday life or times of crisis — regardless of faith, age, culture or lifestyle.
Learn how to bring mindfulness into your home when JFS presents “Get Calm and Connected: Mindful Parenting,” a free, virtual workshop at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12, via Zoom.
During the interactive workshop, parents and caregivers will learn practices to help with the challenges of parenting and valuable techniques to implement into their family’s daily life.
Mindful Parenting can help parents manage stress, better care for their own well-being, and nurture the parent-child connection. The workshop will be facilitated by Wendy Anderson and Lauren Glass, both licensed clinical social workers with JFS.
Registration is required: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Confirmation and a final Zoom link will be sent after registration is received.
“Get Calm and Connected: Mindful Parenting” convening organizations are Congregation Beth Shalom, Congregation Beth Torah, The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, The J, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.
For more information, contact Susie Hurst, JFS Director of Family Life Education/CHAI Program at susieh@jfskc.org or (913) 327-8259.
Jewish Family Services (JFS) is a hosting a free community Health Fair at its Brookside East office and food pantry – 425 East 63rd Street in Kansas City on October 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will have the opportunity to receive free services provided by JFS and several of its community partners including:
- Medicaid or Medicare counseling.
- COVID-19 vaccine shots.
- HIV testing.
- Medical assistance.
- Food and household items.
- Information about JFS’ Counseling and Wellness programs.
“Taking care of your mental and physical health often takes a back a seat when you are struggling financially and facing food and housing insecurities. We see this everyday among our clients,” said Maggie Haghirian, LMSW, director of KesherKC, JFS’ social service and food pantry program.
“Neglecting your health can obviously lead to other ongoing challenges for you and your family,” she said. “We are excited to offer and provide access to many free healthcare services along with our other community partners.”
The October 29 Health Fair is open to the public – no registration is required. Participating community partners are KC CARE Health Center, Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet and Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center. JFS provides human services for people facing challenges in everyday life or times of crisis — regardless of faith, age, culture or lifestyle.
Learn more about the critical challenges facing Kansas Citians and how JFS is responding during our virtual speaker series.
For our third session, join us for a conversation with Jo Hickey, Director of Pantry Partnerships, and Maggie Haghirian, LMSW, KesherKC Director, who will share their firsthand knowledge of clients’ daily challenges and vast network of collaborative partners working to provide effective solutions. Register here.
“Working with more than 10,000 individuals a year, our team has a unique lens into the complicated problems facing Kansas Citians. This series is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the critical social issues we’re collectively tackling,” said Don Goldman, Executive Director and CEO of JFS. “It’s also an opportunity to have a dialog with us about the evolving challenges due to the pandemic.”
Did you know that each month, Jewish Family Services provides more than 800 families with food and non-perishable items through the two locations of its food pantry? Food drives help ensure our guests have a wide variety of items to select from and keep expenses down.
While JFS is happy to accept any shelf-stable food or personal care items, for the most needed items for November, we are asking donors to assemble Thanksgiving Meal Kits. The meal kits consist of:
1 box of stuffing
2 cans of pumpkin pie filling or canned fruit filling
2 cans of green beans (have enough on hand for pick-up to share)
1 can of mushroom soup
1 bag or box of mashed potatoes
1 to 2 cans of sweet potatoes or yams
2 boxes of macaroni and cheese
1 bag/box of rice
1 roll or cornbread mix
1 jar or gravy packet
1 package of french fried onions.
On Sunday, November 20, 2022, from 10 a.m. to Noon, JFS will hold its monthly community-wide food drive at the Jewish Community Center campus. Please drop off donations with volunteers who will be located in the front circle drive.
Donations can also be dropped off in the JFS barrel in the Jewish Community Campus lobby during business hours or at the Brookside office with an appointment by calling 913-327-8250. Donors may also purchase items for the food pantry directly through the JFS Pantry Wish List on Amazon.