JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF COLORADO INC

Mental health counseling & services partners with clients, families, and the community to create opportunities to achieve emotional wellness and stability. Our team of skilled mental health professionals is committed to helping, improving, and making a difference in the lives of those struggling with mental health issues. Jfs provides quality trauma-informed therapy in person or through hipaa-approved teletherapy for more than 1,427 individuals, couples, and families through 23,009 sessions to support neighbors dealing with a variety of issues, including depression, grief, trauma, relationship issues, anxiety, and family crises. Our bilingual russian-speaking therapist offers counseling and support to denver's underserved russian population. Through the refugee mental health program, jfs provides competent, trauma-informed therapy on an outpatient basis to refugee individuals and families who are adjusting to life in colorado for more than 118 refugees. Kidsuccess provides free school-based mental health services to 1079 students at 21 denver schools.

Disability services supports 97 individuals with disabilities as well as their families and caregivers by providing a person-centered approach to individually customized services. Services for people with disabilities include connecting participants to volunteer opportunities, meaningful employment, and social and recreational activities. Our disability program builds the workforce of the denver metro area by providing individual and group employment support for those with barriers to employment. The arts and community exploration (ace) program is a people-centered interactive day program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition, jfs coordinates the jewish disability advocates (jda) program to promote full participation and inclusion of people with disabilities who are of the jewish faith into the jewish community and the community at-large. The best buddies program offered many programs and activities for 24 buddies to participate in.

Employment services provides workforce development services through individualized case management and a full continuum of services focused on self-sufficiency and a two-generation approach to remediating systemic and generational poverty. Work is in-person and virtual to serve coloradans who face systemic or perceived barriers to work gain employment stability and economic mobility earning a living wage. In fy25, jfs provided employment services to 2,226 jobseekers, including job application and rsum assistance, workshops, vocational training, and individualized job assistance. Jfs partners with denver metro area businesses and organizations by providing them with qualified and assessed job candidates at no charge. We also provide intensive case management and job readiness services for those eligible for temporary assistance to needy families (tanf).

As a permanent reception & placement (r&p) agency working in partnership with hias, the global jewish organization for refugees, jfs resettled 201 refugees from afghanistan, democratic republic of congo, syria, sudan, ukraine, latin america, and more. Available services for refugees include mental health care; cultural orientation; access to culturally appropriate food and essential items; ongoing case management to further assist with the transition to colorado; assistance with government benefits, language courses, and school enrollment; workforce development and employment support; and vital assistance securing affordable housing.

The volunteer services program utilizes the skills and experience of a diverse pool of volunteers to strengthen the services of the agency by helping to coordinate food distribution in the food pantry; enhancing the lives of older adults with regular visits and outings; leading holiday and shabbat celebrations at nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, hospitals, and prisons, distributing lunches to children in low-income neighborhoods during the summer; feeding older adults at a congregate meal setting; providing one-to-one friendship to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; helping with resettlement of newly arrived refugees; and providing pro bono professional services. In fy25, 691 volunteered over 22,100 hours of time to support jfs programs and services.

Jfs boulder helped 510 individuals maintain a high quality of life through programs and services that keep them supported, connected, and engaged. Services include care management, counseling, companionship, emergency assistance, and holiday celebrations. Jfs boulder continued to oversee the boulder county crisis counseling program providing mental health services to those impacted by the marshall fire until december 30, 2024, and restarted the program to provide mental health services to those affected by the firebomb attack on june 1, 2025.

Jfs's community chaplain provides spiritual comfort to 364 jewish individuals and families through 496 services ranging from direct spiritual care to those who are ill, in crisis, or near the end of their lives - in hospitals, mental health institutions, correctional facilities, or at home.

Jfs altius farms grows more than 28,000 pounds of fresh produce in our 7,300-square-foot rooftop greenhouse, which houses 355 tower gardens and produced 1,645 pounds of gourmet mushrooms in two farm boxes. The farm provides locally and sustainably grown chemical pesticide-free produce for restaurants, local grocers, the community, and clients at the jfs weinberg food pantry. As a nonprofit social enterprise, jfs altius farms trains and employs jfs clients and veterans interested in aeroponic and traditional farming.