Young Men & Womens Hebrew Assn & Irene Kaufmann Centers

Day and overnight camping jcc day and overnight camps are designed to promote self-esteem, encourage group skills and teamwork, foster trust and build jewish identity. This fiscal year, more than 1,779 children and adolescents were engaged in jcc day and resident camps. The camp experience is also highly developmental and encompasses life skills education in an informal and enjoyable atmosphere. These life skills take on new meaning as many former campers become part of our staff-in-training (sit), junior counselor, senior counselor, and unit head programs. (continued on schedule o)

Fitness and wellness the jcc's health and wellness programs are a core service offering and continue to be the most heavily utilized service and the largest entry point for the jcc's adult population. Activities such as aquatics, basketball, zumba, group exercise, yoga, and personal training, begin with children as young as six months to older adults in their 90's in both squirrel hill and south hills. Jcc programs and equipment, including adaptive motion trainers, make fitness increasingly accessible for individuals of all ages and abilities. (continued on schedule o)

Context of agency: who and we and who we serve true to our 1895 origin as a settlement house, the jewish community center of greater pittsburgh (jcc) is committed to building a thriving and engaged community for people of all faiths, backgrounds, abilities and means. Our main branch has been located in the core urban pittsburgh neighborhood of squirrel hill for nearly 70 years, uniquely positioned and committed to serving the disadvantaged at the locus of pittsburgh's more affluent and low-income populations. For 130 years, the jcc has promoted the best in faith-based and civic values; provided high-quality social service, early childhood and after school programs, youth service, health/wellness and recreational programs; and nurtured a community-oriented approach to these objectives. As we continue to emerge from the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, more than 30,000 unique individuals are touched by the jcc's programs and services or through our partners. Our facilities host activities an average of 100 hours each week, almost 365 days a year. Rooted in jewish values, the jcc prides itself in our long history of quality service delivery and has expanded programs that assist in the reduction of poverty. This includes regionally recognized programs to reduce nursing home admissions and hospitalizations of older adults living in low-income communities and to serve individuals with disabilities in a more welcoming, supporting and responsive manner. We are proudly non-judgmental in whom we serve nor how we serve them, and we turn a "blind eye" to need, providing over 3.2 million in financial assistance in our annual operating budget. The average family receiving scholarship support at the jcc earns slightly more than 57% of the median family household income of allegheny county. This is not unexpected given that 2023 american community survey 5-year data shows 15.0% of individuals living in our core service area live below the federal poverty line, nearly 1.36 times the rate for the entire pittsburgh, pa metro area and more than 25% higher than the rate for all of pennsylvania. As a core value, the jcc sees the most vulnerable among us as citizens, not clients. We play a highly valued civic role in making pittsburgh a better place to live, as highlighted by the jcc's center for loving kindness and civic engagement. In that work, we partner with dozens of faith-based and community-oriented organizations on an ongoing basis such as candidate forums, self-help groups, blood and food drives, community policing, neighborhood associations, and local chambers of commerce.