Our Services
Jewish Community Services is proud to serve the Greater Flint community. We serve the needs of Genesee County residents of all backgrounds. Our dedicated staff will answer your phone call, whether you are interested in signing up for a program, scheduling a ride, need any referral information, or need to contact us for any other reason. The agency provides a variety of programs and services to respond to community needs, and we are always grateful for new suggestions.
Information, Assessment, and Referral
Case Coordination and Assessment
Information, Assessment, and Referral
Social workers are available to provide information about
agency services and referrals to local community resources.
Following an intake interview, intervention on behalf of a client
is provided when needed. Casework services and limited
financial assistance are also available.
Case Coordination and Assessment
Social workers help older adults and their families access services in the community. Clients can call for information and referrals to JCS and other local agencies and organizations. In-home case assessments are also available for people with multiple needs. Case management plans are developed to help them maximize their independence.
Case Coordination is also provided to clients under 60. The agency serves as enrollment and case coordination provider for low-income families to participate in the IDA/GAINS project. The project is federally and privately funded to provide financial literacy education and teach long-term saving goals, giving clients a 3-1 match up to $3,000 for their savings when they fulfill all the program requirements and graduate from the program, obtaining their goal asset.
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Highway to Health
Transportation for Genesee County residents is provided to medical appointments outside of the county to Ann Arbor, Lansing, Saginaw and the Detroit area. Fees are based on income following an intake with a social worker. Medicaid is also accepted. Casework services are also available.
Local Travel
Transportation is available within the county for the Senior Congregate Meal Program, medical appointments, errands and shopping. With a wheelchair lift equipped bus, door-to-door transportation is provided for older adults, people with disabilities and residents with special needs.
Request transportation by calling(810) 767-5922 or sending an email to jfcs@tm.net with your name, telephone number and request.
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Kosher Mobile Meals
Kosher mobile meals are available Monday through Friday to
homebound senior adults. Extra meals are also offered for the
weekend. Hot and cold meals are delivered daily to homes by
the Genesee County Community Action Resource Department
and JCS.
Kosher Congregate Meals
Hot kosher meals are served at noon on Mondays, Tuesdays
and Thursdays at our congregate meal site, Cafe Shalom,
located at Temple Beth El.
Meals for both programs are prepared by staff and volunteers
at Congregation Beth Israel's kitchen.
Genesee County residents are eligible.
Asian-Indian Congregate and Mobile Meals
Through partnerships with the "Grill of India" and other local
restaurants, JCS provides vegetarian specialty meals for the
program participants. They meet at Temple Beth El and other
locations for lunch once a week. Please contact Jyoti Khurana,
our bilingual program coordinator, at 767-5922, if you are
interested in joining the group.
Other senior groups, including Russian-speaking seniors,
participate in a restaurant partnership program for an
additional meal day during the week.
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The goals of the Immigrant Services are to help refugees and immigrants navigate local resources and achieve financial independence as soon as possible and become productive members of our American society.
Translation and transportation services and referrals to local community resources are available. Our interpreters served at 436 local medical appointments in 2007.
Casework services provided to new American families included resolving daily issues, contacting schools, and resolving problems with medical and other bills, banks, Secretary of State, Social Security Administration, Department of Human Services, the court system, Career Alliance and other agencies. New Americans were actively involved in out youth and adult programs.
We continue to serve 20 Russian speaking Meskhetian Turks, a Muslim population from the former Soviet Union. We provided them with case management, document translation, medical interpretation, various acculturation programs, medical and social services. As other immigrant services and resources for immigrants became inaccessible, JCS faced greater demand for translation and casework services for immigrants who arrived to Genesee County from various parts of the world.
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JCS currently offers three support groups for senior and
disabled immigrants. The first group, The Senior Social Day
Club is designed for Russian-speaking seniors and disabled .
The two-day-a-week program includes lectures, health checkups,
ESL and Citizenship classes, Russian movies, local trips,
games and more. The club has also become a support group
for its members. This year the members visited Russian stores
in Detroit, went on a trip to Frankenmuth. Members also
benefited from a special grant to the Flint Cultural Center, that
allowed our low income participants to attend shows for a
minimal charge.
In 2007, the program was expanded to include a second
support group meeting, to discuss healthy lifestyles, financial
literacy, computer literacy, and participate in exercise classes.
The third support group was started in 2008 for the Asian
Indian elderly. They will meet once a week to discuss news,
do walking and chair exercises, celebrate holidays, participate
in craft projects, bingo, field trips and other activities.
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This year our Day Camp is 4 weeks, starting July 20 through August 14, 2009. Children will spent two weeks at Camp Tamarack, participating in all the activities there, including horse back riding, go-carting, canoeing, kayaking, water-skiing, drama, gymnastics, media, swimming, pioneer skills, and many others. For the other two weeks, campers will enjoy local field trips, including Roller Haven, bowling, water parks, and activities like creative movement classes with the instructors from the Flint Institute of Music, swimming, and various sports activities. Financial assistance is provided to children from lowincome families to help them attend camp. Contact JCS for more information.
The Jewish Continuity Scholarships helped students participate in Israel experiences, overnight camps and other Jewish continuity programs.
Last year, JCS provided a financial literacy for teenage girls programs, in partnership with Metro Housing Inc. , Genesys Health System and Carman-Ainsworth Community Education.
The girls were matched with women mentors and participated in the financial literacy workshops.Program participants enjoyed a field trip to the C.S.Mott Community College School of Cosmetology to talk about skin and hair care. At the conclusion of the program, in June, 2008, they participated in the "Graduation" field trip, where the girls were awarded the program participation certificates, and visited the Cranbrook Institute of Science, and Rainforest Cafe. All the girls who opened bank accounts and saved at least $25 on their accounts throughout the length of the program, received matching funds as a reward. The program is fully funded by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint Women and Girls Fund, with in-kind services from JCS, Genesys Health System, and Metro Housing, Inc. staff.
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Educational and Cultural Enrichment
This year we welcomed the Third Annual Jewish Film Festival
to Flint. A monthly book club meets at members' homes for
book discussions. (New members are always welcomed!)
This year, we participated in the Israel 60 celebrations with a
Mitzvah Day on May 4. It was a great day of various projects
benefitting the community, including the American Red Cross
Blood Drive, Adopt-A-Platoon Care Packages and Emergency
Kits, Boys and Girls Club cleaning project, and Environmental
Clean-Up project. Community members also participated in a
Walk the Land one-mile walk and a Community Dinner. The
weather was wonderful, and our volunteers made this day a
great success.
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JCS facilitates and sponsors various community programs,
including Book Club; Moonbeam Women's Support group;
Annual Film Festival; Community-wide events and Holiday
celebrations. For more information, please look at our
Community Calendar and contact our office at 810-767-5922.
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The Senior Programming Coordinator plans programs with
older adults who attend the three days a week nutrition
program. Speakers, health education, grandparents day,
entertainers, field trips to local sites, bingo, and other social
programs follow the served lunch at the congregate meal site.
Members also meet monthly at the 4-K Program (Kibbutzing,
k'velling, k'vetching & Koffee ) to share their feelings, listen to
new ideas and talk about their interests.
Members celebrate birthdays every month. Flu shots were
made available through the Visiting Nurse Services of
Michigan. New members are always welcome.
