Nonprofit Spotlight
May's Nonprofit Spotlight is on JFS of Washtenaw County!
The Jewish Family Services Mission Statement is “Creating Solutions, Inspiring Humanity, Promoting Dignity.”
JFS is a cornerstone of compassion and care in our community, providing critical services including food security, aging support, resettlement assistance, transportation, economic empowerment and behavioral health counseling. With a deep commitment to dignity and inclusion, JFS uplifts over 18,000 neighbors each year—ensuring that every person, no matter their background, has access to the support they need to thrive.
Details
Events to support Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County
Walk a Mile in My Shoes 2025
September 29, 2025
2:00 pm –5:00 pm
Located at Burns Park in Ann Arbor on Sunday, September 29th from 2-5pm. Witnessing the hardships refugees face can feel overwhelming—but YOU have the power to make a real, lasting impact. Walk a Mile in My Shoes, a community walk in solidarity with refugees who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety and opportunity. When we walk together, we send a powerful message: We see you. We welcome you. We will not stay silent. Your participation fuels critical programs that support refugee families as they rebuild their lives in Washtenaw County. Every step you take helps provide access to safe housing, employment opportunities, language support, and vital community connections. Walk with purpose. Walk for justice. Walk for welcome. Register, donate, or start a team today. Together, we can ensure every newcomer—no matter when they arrived—has the opportunity to thrive
Resources
JFS offers multiple categories of support and various programs within these:
Older Adult Support (WISE & CARES):
Helping older adults live safely and independently with care coordination, caregiver respite, and education.
Behavioral Health Counseling: (THRIVE)
Professional, compassionate counseling for individuals, couples, families, and groups.
Food & Nutrition Services: (NOURISH)
Medically and culturally tailored pantry, Meals on Wheels, Senior Café, and prepared meals from their Shalom Commercial Kitchen—also supporting local food entrepreneurs.
Refugee Resettlement & Integration: (RISE)
Welcoming newcomers with social services, ESL and citizenship classes, and resettlement assistance.
Employment & Economic Empowerment: (GROW)
Career services, financial literacy, and small business development through their Microenterprise Program.
Transportation: (JFSGO)
Affordable, door-through-door rides for older adults and community members needing reliable access.
📍 2245 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
📞 734.769.0209 | 🌐 jfsannarbor.org
How to Support
The best strategies to help JFS on their mission are donating, volunteering, and advocating for them.
To donate, you can click on the donation link on this page to give directly. For in-kind gifts, you'll find more information in that link as well or you can please reach out to Lindsay Hadden at [email protected].
For volunteering opportunities, please visit their website at jfsannarbor.org/volunteer.html to join their Volunteer Community! They offer unique opportunities for individuals and teams be an integral part of their mission to create solutions, promote dignity, and inspire humanity. Volunteers are engaged in every area of the agency, from helping new families resettle from a foreign country to stocking and distributing food in the pantry. This is a great place to feel like you are truly making a difference!
Why Zing Loves JFS
Zingerman's has been a supporter of the work JFS does in our community over the decades because of their holistic and inclusive approach to providing critical care. They open their arms to all and with such genuine support, knowing that to truly empower the community requires more than a simple solution or one-off service. The range of programming they provide is beyond inspiring. Just a few years back during a buildout that JFS had done, Zingerman's was thrilled to have sponsored their Entrepreneurial Computer Lab and Incubator Space and enables their clients to work on fulfilling their dreams. It's been incredible knowing all the great things that come out of JFS giving people the tools they need to succeed and we're so pleased to partner with them.