Our Mission
Jewish Family Service provides counseling and social services to support individuals and strengthen family life. Based on traditional Jewish values of social responsibility and concern for all members of the community, JFS serves those in need without regard to race, religion or the ability to pay.
History of JFS
In 1919, after considerable discussion and community planning, the United Jewish Charities was formed by the merger of several private voluntary societies. Some of the first welfare programs carried out in Worcester were pioneered by the United Jewish Charities, such as the first Free Milk Station in Worcester, a well-baby clinic and dental clinic. During the first 10 to 15 years of its existence, the primary function of the United Jewish Charities as to give financial or other material aid where needed.
In 1920, the United Jewish Charities became affiliated with the Worcester Welfare Federation, the predecessor of the Worcester Community Chest, and in 1921 received its first allocation of funds from the Federation.
In 1938, the name United Jewish Charities was changed to the Jewish Social Service Agency, which better reflected its changing functions and wider range of services. With the advent of the Social Security Programs under the sponsorship of the federal government in the early 1930s and the subsequent growth of more effective Public Assistance Programs, the Agency was able to change its focus. The Jewish Social Service Agency was able to concentrate and expand its counseling and therapeutic services as well as addressing itself to other vital health and welfare problems.
During the period from 1946-1952, the Agency’s energies were directed toward the tremendous task of resettling and rehabilitating displaced Jewish refugees immigrating to Worcester. After that task was accomplished, the Board of Directors and Agency staff actively devoted their efforts to develop an effective and qualitative family and child counseling service for the Jewish community. As a result, it was felt that a new name in keeping with the concept of “service to families” would more accurately reflect the role of our Agency in the community. Therefore, on November 1, 1957, the name Jewish Social Service Agency was changed to the Jewish Family Service of Worcester, Inc.
In 1971, Robert D. and Mary Ann Harrington donated their home at 646 Salisbury Street to the Worcester Jewish Federation to be used by the Jewish Family Service. In October, 1973, Jewish Family Service moved into its new quarters.
Jewish Family Service also began a program of legal guardianship for adjudicated incompetent elderly. By doing so, the Agency became the first social service agency in Massachusetts approved to act as corporate guardians. In approving the implementation of this program, the Board of Directors mandated that the Agency be willing to step forward as a guardian of last resort for those elderly persons who could not function in the community and who had no relative or friend that could assume responsibility for their protection and well-being. In addition, the Agency entered into a contract with the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to provide up to 25 guardianships/conservatorships to Protective Service clients.
In the 1990s the Agency formed a Family Therapy Team to deal with divorce and reorganizing families. JFS began offering seminars in helping “Children Cope With Divorce.” In 1995, the seminars were made mandatory by the probate court for all divorcing parents and JFS is a major provider of this service. Aside from the educational component, the seminars serve as a gateway to other services JFS offers such as individual and family therapy, groups for divorcing parents and children, and divorce mediation, a service we began in 1995. Mediation is now an approved ADR Program of the Probate and Family Court.
JFS is generously supported by Jewish Federation of Central Mass, United Way of Central Mass, the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Central Mass Agency on Aging, Mass Bar Foundation, and Greater Worcester Community Foundation.
