Jewish Family Service of the Desert

About JFS

The mission of Jewish Family Service of the Desert (JFS) is to provide for the social service needs of the Jewish and general community throughout the greater Coachella Valley with a commitment to promote the well-being of people of all ages, incomes, and lifestyles.

Since its inception in 1982, JFS has been providing vital and comprehensive social services in the Coachella Valley. Services are open to all and dedicated to promoting the well-being of people of all ages, incomes, and lifestyles, with the specific goals of increasing mental and financial stability, reducing senior isolation, preventing the onset of homelessness, nurturing youth mental health, and supporting local Holocaust survivors.  Services are provided year-round, in person and remotely, available in English and Spanish, with additional translation available as needed.  

Currently, JFS offers three main programs:  mental health counseling, case management, and community outreach.

1. Mental Health: The program provides low-or-no-cost counseling to individuals and families, including children as young as five. To ensure accessibility, JFS offers scholarships to those without a significant income. For those with insurance who cannot afford a high copay, JFS offers financial assistance to cover their insurance copay. 

2. Case Management:  The program offers free case management services to adult residents across the Coachella Valley. The program provides personalized client advocacy and emergency financial assistance.

3. Community Outreach: The department oversees several free programs that promote the well-being of older adults and youth in the Valley, including: 

• Let’s Do Lunch! (LDL): a two-hour, one to two-times per-month, senior education and socialization program 
• Cafe Europa: provides similar programming specifically for local Holocaust survivors, and helps coordinate financial assistance for rent, utilities, dental, and in-home support services 
• Cafe Europa 2.0: offers children of Holocaust survivors a forum to interact and engage 
• Call Tree: "wellness-check" phone calls to isolated seniors assessing their physical and mental health and connecting them to needed services
• (5) Friendly Visitors, a program that connects clients with volunteers who provide regular engagement while monitoring for concerns that may require JFS intervention.  
• Campership program: providing needs-based scholarships of up to $1,000 to help Valley youth (ages 5–17) attend a day or overnight camp of their choice focusing on science, sports, music, leadership, or religion.

Testimonial

Tommy is a 12-year-old student receiving Telecare counseling support through JFS. During one of the sessions, he informed the therapist that a source of anxiety was his grandmother's ongoing financial struggles. This led to case management's outreach to the grandmother (Lydia), during which she informed us that her financial difficulties were the result of an unexpected, substantial medical bill. Her modest fixed income was generally enough to offer stability, and she's fiercely independent. But she had been struggling for months to "catch up," affecting Tommy's mood. Case managers were able to offer direct and indirect financial assistance, leading to Lydia's reports of increased financial stability. And Tommy's therapist noted the "lift" to his demeanor.