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solving problems. uplifting lives.

A community leader partnering with people to achieve fulfilling lives.

Help our New American Program resettle refugees in Western Massachusetts!

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Rooted in Jewish values, Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts provides exceptional social services to support individuals and families from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.

Our programs strengthen our community by strengthening the individual–from resettling refugee families, to supporting New Americans to become self-sufficient, counseling young adults through life’s transitions, equipping older adults to age well, protecting elders from abuse, leading caregiver support groups, and helping individuals enhance their Jewish connections.

Jewish Life

Enriching the quality of life for individuals in the Jewish community of Western Massachusetts.

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Older Adults

Serving the unique needs of older adults, their families, and/or caregivers. 

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Behavioral Health

Supporting individual and family resilience.

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New Americans

Helping refugees resettle and thrive in our community.  

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Citizenship & Immigration

Assisting immigrants and refugees to become US Citizens. 

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Volunteer

Engaging community members, offering internships, and placement for AmeriCorps staff, to help our newest neighbors succeed.

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Latest Updates

Congratulations to Our Behavioral Health Team!

JFS is now a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) licensed Mental Health Clinic! Four years ago, our staff began the process to become a DPH licensed clinic for our outpatient services. This important certification will allow us to expand our capacity to serve a culturally diverse clientele across the greater Springfield area. After much hard work from our dedicated Behavioral Health and Administrative Staff, as well as required renovations to our building, last month we received our long-awaited Mental Health License from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health. We are thrilled to be able to offer expanded outpatient services in multiple languages soon. 

JFS Client Honored as Employee of the Month!

Naing Htay Lwin, was recently honored as Employee of the Month by the Hilton Garden Inn in Springfield. We are so proud of Lwin’s accomplishments and hard work! Lwin arrived in the U.S. as a refugee from Burma on April 5th, 2022. He was eager to begin working as soon as possible. Once Lwin received his documents, our Employment Coordinator, Tatyana Abashina, helped Lwin find employment and he began his first job as a houseman at the Hilton Garden on June 6th, 2022. “At first, the manager of the hotel said he could not hire Lwin because of his limited English, but I [Tatyana] convinced the manager to give Lwin a chance, and promised that they would be surprised by Lwin’s capabilities. He can now communicate well with guests and the hotel staff, and is able to work with the front desk to make sure guest needs and requests are met.”
 
To show how valued Lwin is, and how much his work is appreciated, the Hilton provides overnight accommodations to Lwin during inclement weather. When Lwin began working, JFS had supplied him with a bike as a means of transportation and more recently, Lwin’s bike was stolen. When this incident took place a fellow hotel staff member created a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for Lwin to purchase an electric bike.
 
JFS is grateful to The Hilton Garden Inn for partnering with us for more than 10 years to train and hire our New American clients, often giving them their first jobs and creating new pathways for them and their families.

LGA Sixth Grade Students Help Welcome New Americans!

Thank you to the Lander-Grinspoon Academy Kitah Vav/Sixth Grade students for setting up an apartment for an arriving refugee family. With just a few days notice, the class went shopping with money they had raised from selling crabapple jelly in the fall, and were able to buy all of the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen supplies needed for the family. Next, they cleaned the apartment in West Springfield, top to bottom, and set up the space beautifully to welcome the family to their new home! Their important work is part of our partnership with the Jewish community, and is an opportunity for students to practice the core Jewish value of tikkun olam – healing the world.

We Appreciate Our Volunteers!

Just a few weeks ago, we were delighted to celebrate our wonderful volunteers with a party at our Welcome Center in their honor! JFS volunteers contribute their time, effort, skills and expertise to help make our work possible. We are indebted to each and every one of them. It was a our great pleasure to spend a lovely afternoon hearing their stories, meeting one another, and sharing a delicious meal catered by The Taste of Lebanon, a restaurant owned by one of our former New American clients.
To join our Volunteer team, please fill out the volunteer form on our JFS website, or contact Andreia Correia at a.correia@jfwmm.org.

Do You Have Gently Used Furniture, Kitchen Items, or Summer Clothing to Donate to JFS?

Over the next two weeks we will be resettling many newly arriving refugees. If you have a couch, arm chair, coffee table, kitchen table and chair set, dresser, lamps, and/or pots and pans to gift, now is the perfect time to donate to JFS! Your gently used items will help us to furnish apartments. To donate, please fill out the donate household items form on our website, and a JFS team member will contact with you.
We are also in need of children’s summer clothing (infant to teen), as well as summer clothing for men and women. Clothing can be dropped off at our Springfield office at 15 Lenox Street during business hours.
To purchase items for newly arriving refugees, please visit our Amazon Wish List. We are continually updating the list, which always includes fire extinguishers (needed for every apartment), toiletries and more.
Questions? Please email Dana Lanoue at d.lanoue@jfswm.org or call 413.737-2601.

Calling All Big Y Shoppers!

JFS was selected as the June beneficiary of the Big Y Community Bag program by store leadership at the Big Y located at 441 N Main St., East Longmeadow. JFS will receive a $1 donation every time the $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at this location. If you shop at a different Big Y location, you can fill out the Giving Tag attached to the bag to direct your donation to JFS.
The Big Y Community Bag Program, which launched in January 2019, is a reusable bag program that facilitates community support with the goal to make a difference in the communities where shoppers live and work. We are thrilled about being chosen for this wonderful opportunity to support our work and vision to create a resilient and collaborative community where people are welcomed, and barriers are eliminated. We hope you’ll participate when you shop at The Big Y this June!

Volunteer with JFS!

We are currently looking for Youth Mentors, Soccer Coaching Volunteers, and Refugee Medical Advocates. To learn more about these and our other volunteer opportunities, visit our JFS website at Volunteer | JFS (jfswm.org).
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Upcoming Events

Jewish Family Jam with Felicia Sloin!

Join us for our new 2023 Spring session. Now at a new time, TUESDAYS 10:45-11:30am in the library at the Lander Grinspoon Academy in Northampton! Explore Jewish holidays, language, culture and values through music, movement and drumming. For ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Registration is required. Cost: $25 registration fee per Session. Click here to register. Questions? Contact Rosalind Torrey at r.torrey@jfswm.org.

Spread the Word—We Have Openings in Our Caregiver Support Groups

Are you caring for a parent, spouse or loved one? Join one of our Caregiver Support Groups to reduce caregiver isolation, receive support, explore relevant topics, discover resources, share coping strategies and learn from other caregivers. Currently all support groups are being held remotely. Groups are free of charge. Pre-registration is required. Click here for more information, or contact Cathy Chandler at c.chandler@jfswm.org.

How You Can Help

Help Welcome New Refugees

Everyday brings new Ukrainians and Haitians to JFS, in addition to our ongoing resettlement work welcoming refugees from other countries including Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala and Syria. While we aim to keep our storeroom supplies stocked, with the urgent influx of need, we are continually working to replenish our inventory.

  • Help us replenish our supplies by purchasing items from our WISHLIST. Please designate delivery to JFS, 15 Lenox Street, Springfield, MA 01108, and add a gift receipt so that we can thank you! If you have any questions, contact Dana Lanoue at d.lanoue@jfswm.org, or call (413) 737-2601.
  • Sign up to Volunteer! As we expand our programming, more support from the community is needed to help newly arriving refugee families! Click here to find a volunteer opportunity to fit your interests and schedule.
  • We are seeking pro bono legal assistance to help our new clients become asylees.

In Memoriam 

Joseph S. Dorison (1958-2023)

As we honor those who have volunteered their time and energy to JFS this month, we are saddened to share with you that our former JFS Board President (2001-2004), Joseph Dorison passed away on Monday, April 10th. Joe was a passionate leader who exemplified our JFS values of compassion, healing, integrity, and human dignity in all he did to support not only JFS, but also the broader Springfield Jewish community. In years past at JFS, Joe could be found collecting, fixing, and distributing bikes to refugees to provide transportation to jobs. He welcomed New Americans at airport pick-ups, and provided stuffed animals and toys for newly arriving refugee children. He and his wife, Catherine, shared their story of welcoming refugees in a video for our JFS website to encourage others to volunteer and get involved (see below). Joe leaves a legacy of leadership and selfless service, and we pay tribute to his life and all the ways he contributed to make a difference is the lives of others. May his memory be a blessing. 

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Rooted in Jewish values, we provide exceptional social services to support individuals and families from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.

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