JFS News Archive

For the second year, local Shawnee cocktail bar, Drastic Measures becomes Hanukkah themed pop up bar, Drastic Mensches for another Hanukkah season beginning Friday, December 8th. The Hanukkah pop up will donate 100% of all sales to Jewish Family Services on the following dates: Friday, December 8th from 4pm-1:30am Saturday, December 9th from 4pm-1:30am Tuesday, December 12th from ... read more

Jewish Family Services (JFS) recently welcomed new board president Jeff Stolper and eight dedicated volunteers to the board of directors. New JFS board members are Brenda Althouse, Janice Benjamin, Jamie Copaken, Crystal Johnson, Mary McLean, Rabbi Rachel Rothstein, Erika Saleski and Julia Vargas. JFS recently welcomed Kelly Davydov as its new CEO and executive director, and Stolper is ... read more

As our community responds and mourns the loss of life in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, we are creating additional resources for those at home who seek support and community. ... read more

JFS has served our greater Kansas City community for 120 years, but we haven't done it alone! We are excited to celebrate on August 24th with so many of our friends and family who have made JFS the life-changing human service agency it is today. We are also honored to recognize two individuals at our 120th Anniversary Celebration who exemplify the mission of tikkun olam - repairing our world. ... read more

Dear Friend, These are difficult times for our community. Every day we hear of more atrocities and pain in a region that so many of us love. To those with friends and family in Israel and Gaza – we hold you in our hearts and wish you peace and comfort. To our Kansas City Jewish community – we’re 'Here For You' as you grieve and try to make sense of the violence in the region. Thank you to ... read more

Recently, Jim Kanally designated a $900,000 gift from the John Joseph Kanally Trust to Jewish Family Services (JFS) through the Jewish Community Foundation. Seventy-two-year-old Jim Kanally didn’t know about Jewish Family Services’ programs until his conversation with a neighbor. That neighbor happens to be JFS Chief Program Officer Maggie Haghirian, who spends much of her time empowering ... read more

The JFS 2022 Impact Report is live! Our 2022 Impact Report, “Stronger Together,” is now available for our community to learn more about the work of JFS during 2022. Read the report here. ... read more

The month of March marks the transition from winter to spring. Life outside begins anew and we see our environment transform. Here in the midwest, the change in weather can be erratic and a bit out of balance. Shorts one day, snow pants the next. You just never know what you’re going to get. Life can be much the same way. We experience high highs, low lows, and along the way, likely a lot of ... read more

Madeleine Reiches is a busy young woman with an interesting job. As controls engineer with Burns & McDonnell, she programs machines in factories that manufacture potato chips, peanut butter and baking soda. While her career keeps Reiches moving at a fast pace, she makes time to volunteer with Jewish Family Services (JFS) as a driver with the JET Express program. JET Express provides ... read more

It’s been a nearly a decade since Chris Wiley began volunteering for Jewish Family Services helping older adult clients with their technology needs– and JFS is so happy he did! Wiley has a strong background in technology services – setting up, fixing and repairing those “gadgets” we all take for granted, but sometimes can’t figure out on our own. Wiley would fix computers in his free time and ... read more