JFS News Archive

Bring a 4-pack of toilet paper during HALF TIME – GOTTA DANCE July 16-24 and get a free box of popcorn!” Donate packages packages of toilet paper for th food pantry and enjoy free popcorn and a fun evening at Theatre in the Park (TIP) during the new musical Half Time-Gotta Dance July 16-18, and a July 21-24. We are teaming up with TIP to help with our Summer “WipeOut” campaign, securing ... read more

This year’s Tisha B’Av observances will include a virtual discussion at 4 p.m., July 18: From Destruction to Redemption: Personal Stories of Addiction and Recovery hosted by the Rabbinical Association and Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City. Hear from members of the community who have suffered personally or have a loved one who has suffered from addiction. The program will also ... read more

Congratulaitons to Kelly G. Loeb, Older Adult Care Manager, this year’s Ms. JuneteenthKC! Kelly was honored during the JuneteenthKC Parade June 12 and will be formally introduced to the city at the JuneteenthKC Awards Ceremony during the Heritage Festival. Since 2016, JuneteenthKC has taken nominations for our Mr. and Ms. JuneteenthKC campaign. These individuals are selected by their peers ... read more

Join artist and gardener, Karen Lyman as she shares the latest tips and techniques to create fabulous containers beyond red geraniums and spikes during a free virtual presentation from 1 to 2 p.m., June 17. Based on the elements of fine design, Lyman will present everything you need to know to make your next container garden a work of art. A Johnson County Extension Master Gardener ... read more

For Barstow High School senior Susanna King, making a difference in the world is part of her DNA - literally. Susanna remembers volunteering at Jewish Family Services Food Pantry as a young child when she would come with her mother, Amanda Morgan, to lend a hand. “She taught me the values of tikkun olam [repairing the world] when I was very little,” Susanna said. “As I got older, I knew that I ... read more

Processing the trauma caused by COVID-19 is bringing increased awareness to the importance of mental health care. In the past pandemic year, Jewish Family Services (JFS) has seen a 50 percent increase in the number of counseling sessions. We have responded by providing more resources and information with a focus on preventive initiatives. During May - Mental Health Awareness Month - JFS is ... read more

Home maintenance program offers independence for individuals 60+ Never has the 60-plus set been so active and determined to live life independently in their own homes and on their terms. Sometimes, an extra set of hands is just what’s needed to make this a reality. Help@Home provides individuals more time to spend enjoying activities other than home repairs and household chores and helps ... read more

Learn Laugh & Love A joint program between Jewish Family Services and Heritage Center at The J. While Passover is a festival widely studied, Shavuot remains a mystery. For most, it is a holiday to enjoying dairy treats, like cheesecake. While little is mentioned about it in the Torah, the rabbis understood Shavuot as the anniversary of one of the most important events in Jewish history—the ... read more

John Ball is April’s Volunteer of the Month and is one of 324 volunteers who donated 6,597 hours of their time to JFS last year! John joined the JetExpress volunteer driver program in 2014 after he retired. John’s robust career included serving as an officer in the Marine Corps, working in the beer, soft drink, and plastic bottle manufacturing industries, and teaching high school algebra in ... read more

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the JFS team came together to do what we’ve always done – help others – one person, one family at a time.  Each of us worked quickly and tirelessly. Together, we helped more people than ever before, doubling our numbers in some programs, launching new programs, forging new partnerships – doing so somewhat seamlessly with the same care and compassion as ... read more