Jewish Family Service of the Desert

JFS ANNOUNCES 18th ANNUAL LIVE STREAM PATRON PARTY TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS EMMY AND CABLE ACE AWARD WINNER ROY FIRESTONE TO EMCEE THE EVENT...Continue reading

New JFS Board Member JFS is pleased to welcome Lauren Friend, a native of Chicago, Illinois, to our Board of Directors. Lauren and her husband Howard have been married for 45 years and have been blessed with two children, Barrie and Charlie, and five wonderful grandchildren.... She was raised in a Conservative Jewish home and became a Bat Mitzvah; Lauren was also on the Young Woman's Board, United Jewish Fund. The Friends were early participants and are still very active in the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Lauren has also been on the Board of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Currently, she is involved with an education program in Israel, Teach First Israel through the Joint Jewish Distribution Committee. Lauren also enjoys reading and tutoring one-on-one with children in the Chicago school system. Last year, Ms. Friend volunteered with the Read With Me program in the Coachella Valley, providing much-needed assistance at the Valle Del Sol Elementary School. We are truly honored to have such a highly skilled and experienced person such as Lauren join our Board of Directors. Aviva Snow, President JFS Desert Board of Directors Pictured: Lauren and twin grand kids Sawyer & Tate

Join us Monday, December 7 for the "18th Annual Patron Party, Virtual Live Event." We will have some exciting and interesting twists and surprises for this year's event. Our generous Patrons help to provide the essential support allowing JFS to fund our programs offering assistance to those most vulnerable in our Valley. For More Information:... Cheryl Scarlett, 760-325-4088 ext. 107 or [email protected] See more

From your family at JFS, G'mar Hatima Tova to you, your family and all of your loved ones.

At the Jewish New Year, with special thoughts of you, and a wish that the year ahead will be filled with peace, happiness, and good health...Your JFS Family.

Welcome To The JFS Board JFS is honored to introduce Mr. Michael Saywitz, who recently joined our Board of Directors. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Saywitz graduated from Michigan State University, then moved to Chicago with his wife Judy, and three boys, and entered the family business of department stores.... In Chicago, Michael served on the Board of Israel Bonds, and as Vice President of the largest Conservative Temple, Congregation Rodfei Zedek, and also on the national board of the City of Hope. Upon moving to California, Mr. Saywitz served on the Board of Congregation Beth El in La Jolla as well as Chairman of the Bank of Coronado. As a result of his lifelong interest in Jewish cantorial music, Michael has produced many wonderful concerts, in Los Angeles, Orange County, Palm Springs, and Europe. In 1995, they moved to Newport Beach where he joined his eldest son in the commercial Real Estate business. Upon retiring in 2009, Michael and Judy moved to Rancho Mirage and Mission Hills country club where they currently reside. It was here that he joined the Board of the Jewish National Fund and served as President then Chairman of the Board. We are truly delighted to have such an accomplished and experienced person such as Michael Saywitz on our board. Aviva Snow, President JFS Board of Directors

Tune in Today, August 31 at 4:00p.m. for the John McMullen Show for JFS Desert's Kraig Johnson to talk about how JFS helps the community through the COVID- 19 pandemic and beyond. You can call in at (760) 544-8255. Go to TuneIn App or www.iHubRadio.com and click listen. This is a Live show!

Volunteer Voices - Burte Owens Burte Owens purchased a home in La Quinta in 2008, and in 2010, he moved from Mercer Island, Washington to make the Coachella Valley his permanent home. Burte volunteered with the Child Help charity for two years, and then in 2012, he joined the Raul Ruiz campaign as a volunteer. Burte was introduced to JFS by Sheila Baron, one of our longest-tenured volunteers.... Burte has been a vital and invaluable team member of the Let’s Do Lunch! Program where he generously shares his time as a host at two of the program sites. Burte brings his boundless energy, strong commitment and kindness to each and every session and participant. Known as one of the dynamic duo food deliverers who have consistently shared nearly every Wednesday with JFS since the start of the pandemic, he helps ensure that isolated seniors have nutritious food delivered right to their home. As an extremely valued volunteer team member, he avails himself to any and all assignments from transportation, being a host, food delivery, and a regular volunteer at JFS Auxiliary events. We are honored that Burte has selected JFS as his organization of choice for all these years, and we thank Burte for his time and service. Congratulations Burte for being our Volunteer of the Month!

Eye on the Desert host Patrick Evans interview with Kraig Johnson discussing reopening, telehealth and his new role as Executive Director. https://www.youtube.com/watch

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR - RHONDA BOWEN We are honored and proud to share this year’s selection for Volunteer of the Year who has chosen JFS as her agency to support. JFS has always had the great fortune of attracting amazing volunteer talent who are compassionate, professional and customer service-minded who commit themselves freely and generously. Our volunteer of the year is affectionately known by some of her Let’s Do Lunch!" program clients as Squash, a nickname that was... born from an engaging and competitive game of trivia she was leading during one of the JFS senior social activity program sessions. Rhonda Bowen has been sharing her time very generously with JFS for over five years and is so committed that she has two dedicated chairs at the office, one in the Director of Major Donors and Fundraising’s office and another at the JFS Records Desk. She is a lovely and endearing volunteer who is always up for taking on new tasks and assignments. She has been a part of everything from aiding the Director of Major Donors and Fundraising, to hosting and leading JFS senior social activity programs with the Community Outreach department, to assisting with data entry at the Front Desk. Currently, she makes weekly Call Tree well-check calls to JFS clients and assists with food distribution initiatives. Rhonda embodies all coveted social service traits including: being compassionate, supportive, kind and generous. In the last year, she donated 493.5 hours. On behalf on the entire JFS Desert team, we congratulate Rhonda Bowen, JFS Volunteer of the Year!