As one of the pillars outlined in the agency’s Strategic Plan, Catalyze reflects our commitment to accelerating impact by transforming how our services are delivered. By leveraging our partnerships with organizations such as the JCC, The Ark, Keshet, and CJE SeniorLife (CJE), JCFS Chicago has expanded its reach, strengthened community connections, and better met the needs of those we serve.

The following examples highlight just a few of the many ways JCFS works with community partners to expand access to services and enhance support for people of all ages and abilities.

Early childhood clinicians from JCFS Chicago’s Integrated Pediatric Therapies (IPT) and the Virginia Frank Child Development Center (VFCDC) are teaming up this spring to offer a class for new parents and caregivers who want to better understand and support their baby’s early developmental journey. Read further or learn more about the class and register here.

JCFS Chicago is proud to partner with Keshet to offer First Friends, a welcoming, play-based program for families of infants and toddlers with disabilities or complex medical needs. 

When the Elaine Kersten Children’s Center in Northbrook temporarily closed for construction this summer, Speech-Language Pathologist Jennie Marble took the opportunity to work with a teenager outside of the clinic—at a local ice cream shop.

“My daughter’s experience was very positive,” Bat-El said. “We noticed improvement very fast. She enjoyed her sessions, and it felt more like an after-school activity and less like therapy.”

When children attend preschool, many times it’s their first experience outside of the home. So, JCFS Integrated Pediatric Therapies (IPT) and JCC Chicago thought that preschools might need guidance to help to those who may have missed out on core developmental opportunities.

There are hundreds of sign languages used globally, each with its own unique gestures, syntax, and facial expressions native to the countries they originate from.

In honor of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), JCFS Chicago is proud to join Jewish local and national organizations in a unified effort to raise awareness and elevate the voices of people living with disabilities.

Summer is a great excuse to plan special activities that can get your kids excited to complete occupational, physical, and speech therapy.

The amygdala is an almond-shaped cluster of nuclei located deep within the human brain that processes memory, decision-making, and emotional responses. An enlarged amygdala has always been theorized to play a significant role in the development of autism.