Jewish Family Service
During National Foster Care Awareness Month, a local service provider will spotlight the unique ways it advocates for children.
Jewish Family Service of Greater Harrisburg (JFS) will hold its annual luncheon on Friday, May 31, taking the opportunity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its adoption and foster care program.
“We want people in the community to know that we do this,” said Steve Schauder, CEO of JFS. “We are looking for prospective families that are interested in learning more about this, and we are looking for people to support our work.”
This year’s event will highlight JFS’s foster and adoption care program and the organization’s work to pair medically fragile children with foster and adoptive families.
Schauder hopes that the event will raise awareness about JFS’s programs, as he feels that much of the community does not know about the work they do, he said.
The luncheon will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Jewish Community Center at 3301 North Front St. In addition to the anniversary of the program, the event will mark JFS’s 60th anniversary.
The theme for the night is “Every Child a Champion” and the keynote address will align with the theme. Alabama-based Auburn University basketball coach Bruce Pearl, who is an advocate for helping children with life-threatening illnesses, will address the crowd.
Rachel Kuhr, chief program officer of JFS, also hopes to bring awareness to just how unique JFS’s work with medically fragile children is.
“Few other agencies are willing to accept children with the kinds of medical needs they have, who we’ve taken into placement,” Kuhr said.
Kuhr and Schauder also want to let community members know that JFS’s services are for the whole community, regardless of religious or ethnic background.
“For us, everything is about getting the community to understand that JFS serves all members of the community,” Schauder said. “While we work based out of our Jewish values, we serve anyone who comes to us for help.”
Schauder described JFS as a social and human service and mental health agency. In addition to foster and adoption care, JFS’s programs include mental health counseling, refugee resettlement, senior services, community assistance services, financial assistance, a food pantry and a meals-on-wheels program.
“There is a Jewish belief that we are all partners in repairing the world. The world can be a broken place and we are here to fix it,” said Schauder. “And that goes for everyone. That is our central value that informs what we do.”
To purchase tickets for the event or learn more about Jewish Family Service, please visit their website.
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