In my professional work at JF&CS, I have had the privilege of connecting with families at various stages of adoption. While there is always great focus on an individual or couple in finally becoming parents, the impact of adoption on a family does not end at that point. The experience for all triad members (birth family, adoptive family, and adopted person) continues.

Picture a beautiful wooded campground in the Berkshires, on a clear, clean lake; rustic cabins; and a rec hall with games, ping pong tables, and snacks. Now picture 16 friends gathering in this wonderful space for three days of boating, swimming, hiking, great BBQs, and s'mores.

So we started almost 150 years ago. If we began a blog then it would probably have been chalk scrawled on rough slate with the latest news on Civil War veterans.

JF&CS Aging Well at Home program helps senior residents of a supportive housing site head to Florida one step at a time.

We already know we have wonderful friends, but today we got an important reminder. Within a day of posting the request on Facebook, we have one donated double stroller, one really grateful family, and a VERY grateful and proud CERS!

I want to share a story with you. We have been working with a family in our Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). They lost their home when both parents became unemployed and have been living in a motel for the past 1 ½ years.

We have just completed our July distribution, and thanks to many of our regular volunteers and a whole crew of first-time helpers, we successfully distributed groceries to approximately 260 very appreciative families.

I recently saw a great article on ejewishphilanthropy.com about Ramah’s Tikvah program for special needs youth and young adults.

JF&CS Healthy Families West Suburban was awarded a Children’s Trust Fund grant to expand our service to Cambridge and Somerville.