I remember heading off to college, filled with the excitement of what was to come in the years ahead. Today, it’s still re-energizing to be around young college students who are enthusiastic about their education. Here at JFS, we are so fortunate to be able to award deserving local students with scholarships to aid their education through the Rubenstein Family Scholarship Program. This week, eight local students who are current and past recipients of the scholarship attended a luncheon in their honor at JFS-Turk Family Center.

At the luncheon, Board Directors Nadja Kauder and Fern Siegel, and Rita Heller (Co-Chair of Rubenstein Family Scholarship Committee)  and I chatted with each student about their school (Berkeley, UCSD, Mesa College, Wesleyan University, UC Davis, SDSU, and UC Santa Cruz) and their courses of study. I can tell you that we have some future veterinarians, teachers, and financial analysts in our midst.

Dr. Robert Rubenstein, a 2011 Mitzvah Award recipient at our annual Heart & Soul Gala, established the Rubenstein Family Scholarship Program for members of the San Diego Jewish community who are attending college or vocational school. Each year, the program grants 10-15 scholarships of up to $2,500 to students. The funds can be used toward tuition, books, and supplies. Dr. Rubenstein emphasized that recipients should give back to the community when they are able. He received help with school and he believes in the idea of “paying it forward”.

We’d like to thank Dr. Rubenstein and Marie Raftery for making the goal of a higher education a little easier for some of the brightest young minds in our community to achieve. And good luck to all the students – although I don’t think they need it.

Standing (L to R): Mike Levy, Rebecca Koppel, Tom Lebed, Nikita Boborov, Eden Berdugo, Liora Jaffe, Atara Jaffe, and Daniel Brami. Seated: Dr. Robert Rubenstein and Marie Raftery

Many families face tough financial choices when making higher education decisions for their children. Dr. Robert Rubenstein saw the struggle of parents and wanted to help. He came to us with a proposal to aid those San Diego Jewish families struggling to afford higher education. Together, we created the Rubenstein Family Scholarship. Those of you attending last year’s Gala saw Dr. Rubenstein’s passion in helping these Jewish students with the promise that they actively give back to the community through service.

Since its start in 2009, the Rubenstein Family Scholarship Program has awarded 35 scholarships totaling almost $65,000 to deserving high school graduates and college students. Dr. Rubenstein’s generous donations have helped students attend SDSU, UCLA, UC-Berkeley, Berklee College of Music, University of Oregon, University of Arizona, American Jewish University, Wesleyan University, Azusa Pacific University, Palamar College, Chapman University, and Santa Barbara City College.

As we race through summer, I want to make sure everyone is aware of this great program. Jewish Family Service is now accepting college and vocational school scholarship applications for the 2012 Spring Semester/3rd & 4th Quarters. Rubenstein Family Scholarships, which range up to $2,500, help with tuition, books, and school supplies. Find out more about the Rubenstein Family Scholarship program at www.jfssd.org/scholarship.

We had our annual meeting last week to honor our board of directors, volunteers, and staff, and what a great turnout it was! The awards ceremony featured a stellar, all-female cast:

• Board member Cathy Babin Weil was honored with the Charles Zibbell Board Leadership Award for her tireless work in volunteer engagement at JFS.
• Hand Up Youth Food Pantry Supervisor Shelly Hahne took home the Henrietta Rubenstein Staff Development Award. She has been instrumental in growing our food pantry and providing more than 165,300 pounds of food to San Diego’s hungry this past year.
• Our Jack Stern Volunteer Recognition Award went to three amazing ladies whose dedication to JFS is truly inspiring: Radmila Fulton with the JFS Economic Crisis Response Program, Myrna Reese from our On the Go transportation program for older adults, and Eleonore Lavender with Guiding Adolescent Parents. You can read more about their volunteer work by clicking here.

L to R: Ele Lavender, Lorraine Stern, Myrna Reese & Radmila Fulton

As Board President Steve Levine is stepping down this year, we welcomed Felicia Mandelbaum as our incoming President for 2011-2012. Felicia spoke briefly about her goals for the agency and one comment really stood out to me. Felicia said “We must always be cognizant that we are a people of mitzvah – we need to perform acts of “human kindness” to our people and to the community at large.”  I’m always amazed at the time and effort that our Board Presidents put into the job.  Can’t imagine what our agency would be without them.

Immediate Past President Steve Levine and Current Board President Felicia Mandelbaum

On January 26, the Mental Health Committee of Jewish Family Service hosted a free panel discussion, “Children and Mental Health,” for parents and caregivers. Jewish Family Service takes great pride in our role of educating the community in parenting issues. This event also coincided with the launching of our Child Assessment Services program – more to come on this a little later.

Committee Co-Chair Marcia Hazan gives an insightful recap:

2011 "Children and Mental Health" Panel Discussion

Focusing on autism and early childhood mental health issues, the event presented  to professionals (teachers, social workers, and occupational therapists) and parents the latest in cutting-edge research regarding the causes and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. It was really exciting to hear about promising new theories and treatment modalities, some of which were so new that our group was among the first to hear them formally presented.

Moderated by David Feifel, M.D., Ph.D., the panel included:

• Eric Courchesne, Ph.D. and Karen Pierce, Ph.D., from the UCSD Autism Center. Drs. Courchesne and Pierce discussed the causes and early detection of abnormal brain and behavior in autism.
• Bonny J. Forrest, J.D., Ph.D., our very own Chief Operating Officer at Jewish Family Service. Dr. Forrest spoke about early social interaction and the impact on brain development in young children.
• Jeffrey Rowe, M.D., from the Children’s Mental Health Services of the Behavioral Health Division of San Diego’s Health and Human Services Administration. Dr. Rowe elaborated on the diagnosis and treatment of early childhood mental health issues.

Using audience questions as a launching point, the doctors revealed additional insights in a stimulating and collegial give and take. I especially appreciated the way such complex material was presented with easy to understand visuals and analogies that even those of us who were new to these issues could easily understand. Click here to download all of the presentations from the event.

Founded by Linda Janon, the Mental Health Committee of Jewish Family Service of San Diego provides resources and services for coping and living with mental illness and seeks to eliminate the stigma by increasing community awareness. For more information visit www.jfssd.org/mentalhealth.

Last night we hosted a reception at the Vi at La Jolla Village to kick off the 2010 Friends of the Family Campaign. More than 100 people attended! After a welcome speech from myself and Board President Steve Levine, two guest speakers told their personal stories of how JFS has changed their lives.

Sarah Linssen

Sara Linssen, a member of the 2010-2011 Hand Up Youth Food Pantry Student Executive Committee, talked about how her vision of hunger changed dramatically after she became involved with Hand Up. While she once thought that “hunger” meant sick children in Africa or a homeless man on the street, she was shocked to see more than 150 military families waiting in line for food at one of our military distribution sites. “With over 730,000 people in San Diego County experiencing food insecurity, it’s people like these who are the true face of hunger. It’s families who are trying desperately to make ends meet but unfortunately failing. It’s families in which parents have multiple low-paying jobs, but it’s just not enough.” Sara voiced her pride in Hand Up, saying that the organization has given her the chance to inspire others and to teach people in the community what she has learned.

Our other guest speaker was Karen Crawford, a current Friend of the Family donor and mother of two young boys, Ryan and Jake. When their father passed away, Karen, at the urging of a friend, decided to investigate the Jewish BIGPals program to provide a male role model for her sons. “It was one of the best decisions I made..the Jewish BIGPals program has had a profound impact on my sons’ lives.”

It’s stories like these that make me proud of our accomplishments at Jewish Family Service. Click here to see our 2010 Friends of the Family Campaign and read more articles from the people we have helped.

And I would like to again thank the Vi at La Jolla Village for an absolutely beautiful setting for our event. The food was delicious and their generosity was more than we could have imagined! Click here to visit the Vi’s website.

Friend of the Family Co-Chairs Ronnie Diamond and Ron Zollman

I read an interesting article today about midlife suicides. It is shocking and sad to me that this is probably an unknown problem in our community. Middle-age adults (45-54 years old) have the highest suicide rate in the nation for the second year in a row. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2007, 40% of middle-aged adults who died by suicide were either depressed or had some type of mental illness. Over 30% of suicide victims had experienced a crisis in the days before they died. About 12% also had financial woes. Middle-age people, more than any other age group, experience multiple stressors — jobs, finances, and caring for children or elderly parents (often both). People right here in San Diego are experiencing the same personal turmoil, yet the issue of midlife suicide has not been extensively studied or addressed. Most research is directed at teenagers and the elderly, who previously had the highest suicide rates.

I mentioned these startling facts to Barbara Wohlander, our Director of Counseling, and here is some poignant advice from her:

“One of the most important things to remember is that there are always options. When someone is seriously depressed or overwhelmed they lose sight of options. They begin to believe there is only one solution to their problem: suicide. I can honestly say that there are many ways JFS can help someone who is feeling so desperate that they are considering suicide. JFS has licensed therapists with expertise in dealing with severe depression and overwhelming feelings. Our case managers can help in numerous practical ways that can make a huge difference in someone’s life in a little bit of time. Together, with our network of programs, we can provide real help to address some of the issues that may be at the root of their feelings. The JFS Economic Crisis Response Program is a prime example of how JFS can help someone who has lost their job, is facing bankruptcy, or is on the verge of losing their home.

What I would want people to know is that they are not alone, and even if you can’t see them clearly, there    are options other than suicide. The sooner we can talk with someone in need, the more we can help. If you are feeling depressed or overwhelmed, or you know someone in need of help, please click here.”

Congressman Brian Bilbray, representative of the 50th Congressional District of California, and Steve Danon, his Chief of Staff, took a special tour of the Turk Family Center today.  Accompanied by JFS Board President Steve Levine and Board Member Mathew Kostrinsky, Congressman Bilbray heard about the many programs that we provide throughout San Diego County and the tremendous impact we have on the community. While stopping by our Hand Up Youth Food Pantry, Congressman Bilbray was introduced to a young wife of a Marine who discussed how important JFS has been to her family; not only providing nutritious food, but also relocation services and counseling. Congressman Bilbray was also briefed on our On the Go transportation program for older adults, Mentoring Mothers, the JFS Fix-It Service, and the programs we operate in the Coachella Valley. It was a great opportunity to meet with Congressman Bilbray and share our story.

From left to right: Matt Kostrinsky, Jill Spitzer, Congressman Bilbray, and Steve Levine

Congressman Bilbray with Shelly Hahne, Hand Up Youth Food Pantry Coordinator

Our volunteers are really going above and beyond these days, offering up their own expertise and knowledge to our clients. In fact, one of our Mentoring Mothers volunteers, Ele Lavender, has started offering cooking classes at the Foothills Teen Parent Program.

The Foothills High School Teen Parent Program, located in San Marcos, is a fully accredited program for teenage mothers to earn their high school diploma. Our onsite social worker is dedicated to helping mothers develop essential skills for furthering their education, make healthy choices, become self-supporting, and be effective parents.

A branch of the Federal government’s WIC Program (Women, Infants, and Children), Ele’s classes teach low-income teenage mothers about health and nutrition. A few days ago Ele took the girls on a field trip to the market where they learned about WIC items for purchase, and the nutritional value of fresh foods and produce. They each picked out fresh ingredients for their recipe, and spent the rest of the afternoon chopping, mixing, and baking. She’ll hold two more classes in May, focusing on soups, salads, and sauces.

Ele’s enthusiasm and interaction is making this experience not only educational, but a lot of fun for these young mothers. Thank you Ele for your passion and dedication!