Jewish Family Service (JFS) has assisted Houstonians since 1913, when it opened to provide emergency aid for the community’s Jews and to help Eastern European refugees resettle in Houston. As times changed, so did the agency’s scope of services. But its mission has always remained the same: to strengthen life for individuals and families with counseling, education and support.

JFS helps anyone, regardless of ability to pay or religious affiliation, and demand for its services increases each year. Funding cuts and stricter eligibility requirements at public mental health agencies have caused more people to turn to JFS for help. So has the aging population. “People are living longer, but not necessarily living well longer,” says JFS executive director Linda Burger. “Sometimes people outlive their resources and their families, and we are the only ones they can call or rely on.” JFS case managers arrange home health care, transportation to doctors’ appointments and from the hospital, and for meals to be brought in on a regular basis. JFS also provides guidance and solutions to adult children caring for elderly parents, whether they live in town or far away. Burger says, “We’re here to help people deal not only with a crisis, but also with what’s going on in their parents’ lives as they age. We bring resources to the home and to the individual so people can age successfully.” JFS assists approximately 3,800 people each year through its senior adult services and has more than 600 active cases going at any one time.

JFS’s clinical psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists provide counseling services to more than 2,700 children and adults each year. Two-thirds pay a reduced fee; one-quarter receive services free of charge. Burger says, “JFS is one of the few places in the Meyerland area where people can come for expert counseling. We’re even open one night a week so people can come see us after work.”

JFS helps people find homes and jobs, and it offers emergency financial aid so cash-strapped people can pay student loans, the rent or the utility bill. The multipurpose agency assists the families of children who have functional and developmental disabilities, helps victims of domestic violence and consoles those who have lost a loved one. “We are a safety net, not just for the Jewish community, but for all of Houston,” says Burger. “Simply put, JFS provides a beacon of light to people who need help.”