JFCS Navigate in DC

Posted on May 15, 2012

Dan Heffernan attended the Association for Enterprise Opportunity Conference April 30 – May 1 in Washington, D.C . This is the National Conference held annually that brings Micro Enterprise Programs from around the country together for networking, discussion, workshops and seminars. It was a wonderful week capped off by a trip to Capitol Hill, letting Congress know about the importance of funding programs such as the JFCS Navigate Enterprise Center. The overall theme of the Conference was sustainability and the need for Washington to take microenterprise more seriously. In fact, micro-businesses are now the number one source of new jobs created in the US. Where the gap lies is that the Department of Labor does not recognize microenterprise businesses as job creation. It most certainly is job creation, and there is a real push to get the DOL to change their metric to reflect microenterprise businesses as jobs being created in addition to just a small business.

 

To learn more about the AEOC, go to http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/

 

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Volunteering: Enriching Lives

Posted on May 11, 2012

Today’s article written by Kim Toebbe, Volunteer Coordinator

It is time for society to take a fresh look at  volunteerism as a tool for social change. As the United Nations puts it, volunteerism “contributes to a more cohesive society by building trust and reciprocity among citizens.” The vital work done by volunteers is more important than ever.

With families often caught up in a frantic schedule of work, school, meetings, and clubs, many feel they are too busy to volunteer.  It is our job to help families see the opportunities within their already hectic lives to make a real difference.

Instead of just watching your child play soccer, a volunteer could invite a lonely senior to join her!  When shopping for the holidays, offer to include someone who no longer drives in your excursion so that the person can socialize, and meet their grocery needs at the same time!  JFCS matches volunteers with clients with both sets of needs in mind.

If your family includes students, you can have them perform service which can count toward school requirements for same, and become better citizens to boot!  Ask us here at JFCS how you can contribute, or better yet, call with ideas of your own for innovative new volunteer programs to enrich our community.

We can make a difference one person, and one act at  a time. For more information, please contact Kim Toebbe, (502) 452-6341 ext. 103.

 

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Posted in Agency, community, Family, Mitzvah, Volunteers | Leave a comment

Know a Teen? Sign up for CHAMPS Camp!

Posted on May 10, 2012

JFCS is honored to be partnering with the University of Louisville, the Office of Adolescent Health, and the Department of Health and Human Services to host and facilitate CHAMPS Camps in early June.

CHAMPS stands for Creating Healthy Adolescents through Meaningful Relationships. The two day camp (June 3 and June 10) is part of research study to determine which kind of training curriculum fosters healthy relationships and is most effective in preventing teen pregnancy. Our own Katherine Loyd, Lauren Kehr, and Richelle Johnson are trained CHAMPS facilitators and along with other trained facilitators will be delivering the training here at JFCS on two consecutive Sundays. We like to have fun so you know we’re going to make it as engaging as possible for the teen participants!

We would love to have as many teens (ages 14-19) and their families as possible hear about this endeavor SOON so that the teens can participate (and earn a $75 Amex gift card!) and JFCS can let our partners know how many participants to prepare for.
Please think about teens you have contact with in your life who might like an extra $75 to spend this summer! Parents are invited to call Katherine Loyd who will walk them through the process to be included in this fun (and rewarding) event: (502) 452 6341 ext. 231!

 

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JFCS Annual Meeting Set for May 22

Posted on May 8, 2012


JFCS Annual Meeting

Jewish Family & Career Services will celebrate another year of service at its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the JFCS offices in the Louis & Lee Roth Family Center. Board members and officers for the coming year will be elected at that time.

Nominated as officers and executive committee members are Debbie Friedman – President; Sandi Friedson &  Stephanie Mutchnick - Vice Presidents; Hunt Schuster – Treasurer; Mark Ament – Immediate Past President; Jay Klempner, Marty Margulis - At-Large Members.

Current board members include Sheilah Abramson-Miles, William Altman, Bruce Belman, Shellie Benovitz, Bonnie Bizer, Shelly Breier, Marc Charnas, Lance Gilbert, Ayala Golding, Larry Kass, Laura Klein, Janet Meyer, Peter Resnik, Doug Roemer, William Ryan, Beth Salamon, and Sean Wachsman.

The Board will publicly thank retiring board member Barbara Goldberg. David Cooper will be joining the board with a three-year term. Volunteers and staff will be recognized as well as awards presented to JFCS at the Annual IAJVS/AJFCA Convention.

The community is invited to the JFCS annual meeting and the dessert reception. See you there!

 

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Back in the Day with the YMHA

Posted on May 4, 2012

Photo courtesy of Old Louisville
Today’s blog written by Kim Toebbe, Volunteer Coordinator

Mr. Harold Levy, a fascinating member of our community, has many interesting stories and memories.  Mr. Levy stopped by recently to share with me a bulletin he had saved from the Young Men’s Hebrew Association from 1947!  Once located at 729 South Second Street in Louisville, the Y.M.H.A. enjoyed a very active membership of young Jewish men who contributed their many talents and gifts to the Louisville community.

The bulletin says Y.M.H.A. had an orchestra, outdoor day camps, (Camp Tall Trees at Otter Creek, and Camp Riccaree at the Y), a youth panel, a softball league, and hosted many Jewish events for holidays and throughout the year.

Reading the bulletin is like reading a Louisville “who’s who” of influential Jewish men (and some women).  Those whose names were mentioned in the bulletin would go on to become some of the movers and shakers of our community!

If you’re interested in having a copy of the bulletin to see if you or someone you know is mentioned, please call Kim Toebbe, Volunteer Coordinator at Jewish Family & Career Services at (502) 452-6341.

Many thanks to Mr. Harold Levy for sharing this blast from the past!

 

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Posted in community, Klein Older Adults, Older Adults, Staff | Leave a comment

Volunteer Orientation Invitation!

Posted on May 3, 2012


Our JFCS Volunteer Orientation this month is on Monday, May 21 at 10 AM and 5:30 PM. Here’s who we’re looking for:

  • PALS volunteer drivers- as many as we can get!
  • Friendly Visitors
  • Telephone Reassurance
  • Shabbos Friends to go on the 3rd Friday of each month to long-term-care facilities bringing Shabbat lights, candles, juice and prayers.  Meadowview and Twinbrook need volunteers.
  • Bingo volunteers at Four Courts.   Bingo volunteers help transport residents to the activity area, help with cards and snacks, sit with residents who are playing to assist them and cheer them on.
  • Volunteers with SUVs, station wagons or trucks and ability to lift 50 lbs to pick up food from Dare to Care once per month for JFCS Food Pantry.

This is a great opportunity to get to know JFCS and meet other like-minded individuals who are interested in supporting our work! For anyone who would enjoy helping out and wants some good Karma, contact Kim Toebbe to apply, (502) 452-6341 ext. 103. Thanks!

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Food Pantry Requests for May

Posted on May 1, 2012


May is here and summer is right around the corner! Our Food Pantry suggestions for this month include things like canned chicken, crackers, ramen noodles, mayonnaise, peanut butter, instant potatoes, canned ravioli, spaghetti. Think summery, easily-prepared meals!

All donated food must be in its original packaging. Please do not donate expired items. For more information, please contact Kim Toebbe (502) 452-6341 ext. 103

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Welcome to NAVIGATE

Posted on April 27, 2012

Today’s blog written by Griffin Cottle, Business Development Specialist.

During the last quarter of 2011, Jewish Family & Career Services was fortunate to have been selected by Leadership Louisville for 7 months of intensive consulting geared at expanding the capacity and reputation of the microbusiness program at JFCS.  Selection for the Ignite program is extremely competitive, and members of the individual consulting teams are drawn from the top corporations and law firms in the city.  Over the past 6 months, the Ignite team worked with the staff and management of the JFCS business program to ramp-up the presence and sustainability of the program, while developing a set of materials that will facilitate the transition of the program to becoming a full CDFi.  Individual outcomes of the program included:

  • A new name, logo and website – with the business program now known as the “Navigate Enterprise Center,” and individual startup companies to be known as “Navigate businesses” as part of the city-wide rebranding effort.
  • Strategic partnerships with SCORE and the MBA program at Indiana University-Southeast to provide ongoing technical assistance services to existing businesses and coaching expertise to training participants developing a business plan.
  • A Navigate Business Showcase to be held alongside the JFCS MOSAIC Awards, held every year to honor immigrants and refugees who have made a significant contribution to the city and their profession, with an additional “Navigator of the Year” Award to honor our top entrepreneur.
  • A database of corporate donors and marketing materials to diversify the program’s funding.

In addition, JFCS has also solidified the relationship with Louisville’s CDBG-funded microloan program, allowing Navigate business clients to leverage additional funds outside the agency and significantly increasing the number of referrals that JFCS receives for business development services.  As part of this effort we have recently revised our training schedule, and are now offering four ongoing classes at once, all offered at different times throughout the day, to help meet the needs of our additional clients.  Take a look at our new site when you get a chance: www.navigatecenter.org

 

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Posted in Agency, Center for Enterprise Development, community, Microenterprise, Navigate Enterprise Center | Leave a comment

Adoption Seminar with EAC

Posted on April 26, 2012


Join us on Thursday, May 31, at 6PM for an Adoption Seminar with European Adoption Consultants. The EAC assists families with adoptions in Russia, China, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and many more. Learn about their new programs and opportunities for international adoption!

This event is FREE, and light refreshments will be served.
To RSVP, please contact Judy Freundlich Tiell at (502) 452-6341.

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An Introvert’s Guide to Networking

Posted on April 24, 2012

Not the outgoing type? Feeling hindered in networking and subsequently your job hunt? This article is for you! Written by Lisa Petrilli and originally posted here.

I learned the critical importance of networking, and discovered my natural aversion to it, early in my career. I was a new college graduate working in the strategic planning division of a $10 billion company, and our business unit had been invited to a retirement party for one of the top executives. The gentleman retiring was someone I’d looked up to during my brief tenure, and I wanted him to know he’d made an impact on me.

While I wanted to attend the party, as an introvert I usually avoided these types of events because they made me uncomfortable. Knowing there would be a lot of senior executives at this party made me even more fearful. In the end, I tamped down my fears and went. When I arrived I found a relatively empty room save for the executive’s friends and close colleagues. That night, because of the small turnout, I had the pleasure and advantage of engaging in one-on-one conversations with some of the company’s top executives, an experience that would prove crucially important in advancing my career.
Continue reading →

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Posted in Career Services, Center for Enterprise Development, College & Educational Advisement, Counseling, Job Seekers Resource Group | Leave a comment