Blog

Many children with developmental delays and disabilities have trouble with coordination, strength, and muscle tone. JCFS Chicago’s physical therapist helps develop basic motor skills like rolling, sitting, walking, and running. But we don't stop at the basics. We want to be sure that all children can fully participate in their community at their highest potential.

JCFS supports Chicago’s Jewish community members on many paths from constriction to expansion. In this spirit, we offer links to haggadot and Passover readings that reflect both ancient and contemporary ways that we experience bondage, the struggle for freedom, and ultimate liberation from slavery.

Elizabeth Walder is the President and Executive Director of Walder Foundation, a private family foundation with a mission to uplift local communities and elevate Chicago’s contributions to the world. Elizabeth believes immigrants and refugees enrich the value of our society and works hard to give them the opportunities and resources they need to flourish. “We’re all descended from somewhere,” Elizabeth says, “and I believe this country should be a refuge and a welcoming country for all.” 

JCFS Chicago is devastated by the events unfolding in Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people, and with those in our community who are working resolutely to get family and friends to safety.

When Maria and her family contracted Covid-19, her husband Diego had the severest symptoms and spent four days in the hospital. Maria struggled to find help, but with the help of a JCFS Financial Assistant, Maria applied for disability support because of her heart condition.

It is critically important that we engage with our young children and provide age-appropriate child abuse prevention education, as this is a key strategy in keeping children safe.

Overdose deaths are skyrocketing as a result of the devastating effects of synthetic opioids like fentanyl which are being unleashed by bad actors into the black-market drug supply.  Now more than ever, psychoactive drug use can be deadly. 

Overdose deaths are skyrocketing as a result of synthetic opioids like fentanyl being added to drugs without people knowing. Fentanyl is deadly, and most people who ingest have no idea that they were doing so.

We applaud UIC Associate Professor Kristin Berg and the Behavioral Health Stratified Treatment (BEST project) for seeking to better understand the needs of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We at JCFS Chicago share the project’s goals of early identification and treatment of mental health challenges to improve health and vocational trajectories across the life.

It’s wintertime and we often feel sluggish. Knowing that the winter months have an impact on our mood and behavior, it's vital that we keep moving.