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\f0\fs24 \cf0 Howard Scher: Philadelphia is a great city. People don't realize, what a
wonderful city this is. Likewise, JEVS is a phenomenally successful thriving agency.
Jay Spector: JEVS began in 1941. Its original mission was to help Jewish refugees coming
here to start anew. We started programs to help them engage in society in Philadelphia,
mainly employment services and language skills training.\
JEVS had -- gave us first very good shot to learn English. It was -- we didn't speak any
English when we came over. None of us. So it was -- It was very very hard. So it was
very important. To start a new life. Yes. Jay Spector: It was an incredibly progressive
organization. We have board meeting minutes from the late '40s that illustrate JEVS commitment
to the community as a whole, and not just the Jewish community. Well, it was smaller,
much smaller, because we were only doing -- we only had a budget of 300,000. But in a very
short time there was a big change. And there was a reform in Philadelphia, a reform movement,
and that included everybody. Jay Spector: In the '60s, JEVS stepped in to provide counseling
to federal parolees convicted of drug related crimes with its program ACT. When one visited
ACT, it looked like a cross-section of Philadelphia. And, in fact, you saw people that looked pretty
middle class to you and you were surprised that you would see people that looked like
government workers, teachers, whatever, healthcare workers sitting in a clinic for that kind
of drug treatment. And JEVS again and again, and I would say without judgment, stepped
up to meet those needs. Jay Spector: In the '70s, JEVS began securing state licensing
and national accreditation for its vocational training programs, later to become Orleans
Technical Institute. Ben Zuckerman: The population that is served is reflective of the population
of the Philadelphia area. There are people in their late teens there, there are people
in their 60s there, there are men, there are women. There are Whites, Hispanics, African-Americans.
People who have never had jobs. People who have had jobs but lost them. People who had
drug problems or prison problems in their past. Just people who are looking to get a
new start in life in an area where they can build and be self-sufficient. It's a great
school, great teachers. You're definitely gonna get the right education you need. They're
going to get you a job, and it's the best thing to do to start you off in an industry.
Jay Spector: In the '80s JEVS provided community based residential services for former Pennhurst
residents, adults with intellectual disabilities. That was a function of a judicial ruling that
said you can't warehouse people in these institutions and not give them individualized assessment,
individualized treatment to try to maximize their success as human beings. So JEVS' involvement
with that program was very tied to a public policy of deinstitutionalizing individuals.
Jay Spector: In 1984, new opportunities for adults with physical disabilities were created
to receive supports in their homes. Today, thousands of individuals rely on our Supports
for Independence program in order to remain safe and at home. Ned Kaplin: People who have
members of their families with disabilities, it's not only very stressful, but it's probably
beyond the family's capabilities economically. This enables a lot of people who otherwise
would not be able to stay at home to be able to stay at home. Paul Gordon: Without the
supports from JEVS, there's no way that I could afford the help that I require to get
up and go to work. We wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for JEVS, that's for sure.
Jay Spector: By the early '90s, JEVS was providing a number of services for individuals with
a range of disabilities. We coordinated services within one program area, Community Living
and Home Supports. The group homes have anywhere from one to three or four people living in
a group home environment. And these are severely handicapped individuals who would have otherwise
been in institutions. Jeffrey White: Eugenio's diagnosis is chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia.
This is Eugenio's home. Our residents are free to partake in any activity in a house,
to go into a refrigerator, pick anything they like to eat. It's their home. Jay Spector:
By the mid-'90s, JEVS was at the forefront of welfare reform, starting with a Rapid Attachment
to Work program and as an operator of Greater Philadelphia Works. These programs led to
the creation of Maximizing Participation Project and the EARN program. What we discovered early
on in welfare reform back in the '90s, that are there are individuals who are displaying
other issues. They have complicated lives. Some of them have medical issues, family issues,
legal issues, housing issues. And in order for somebody to be successful long term on
the job you have to really get them to a place where they can succeed. Gwen Holmes: Me being
a single parent, having to raise two children, I turned to selling drugs, because that was
the only way I knew how to survive. JEVS MPP has had a great impact on my life. Because
it made me realize that there are some people out who still really do care. And that they
care what happens to you, and they care what direction you're taking. Jay Spector: In 2006,
we changed our name to JEVS Human Services to better reflect the agency's broad and diverse
range of services. From that we developed a wonderful tag line. Making hope happen.
When I looked at it, I thought each word has such meaning. It really helps us to think
about who we are internally as employees, as volunteers, and hopefully externally so
people really can understand who we are very quickly. Jay Spector: This recession is unlike
any other recession we've been through it has truly affected every strata of society.
JEVS Human Services is committed to serving not only the middle class Jewish community
but the larger community who have found themselves in dire shape. Marvin Ostroff: I got a degree
in Finance a while back and then I got a Master's degree in Health Administration. That's pretty
much the field I worked in for 25 years 2009 I was laid off. They were cutting back. So
I was out of work for the first time in my life. I had never been out of work. JEVS gave
me other avenues to pursue to look at. So it was just not finding a job with them. It
was more about finding yourself. Finding a little bit about yourself and, you know, it
was just a good experience. They were just really, really kind and caring people. Gee,
to really project where we are going is like to project where the needs are, where the
country is going, where our community is going. They are doing a good job in a tough market.
It's a good organization, and we need more like it. Ben Zuckerman: Whatever we are doing,
we will be continuing to make hope happen for people on a one-person-by-one-person basis
every day. Jay Spector: Our job is to repair the world, and that's Tikkun Olam. And if
we are going to make the world a better place to live in, we will also be able to lift the
Jewish community in the process. We are part of a bigger society, and the only way you
can make it in that society is really to be part of the larger picture. Linda McAleer:\
JEVS has looked at its strategies, looked at its mission, and say, How can we adapt
to the world today? And continues to do that. Howard Scheer: JEVS will be there and JEVS
will come up with a creative solution to help begin repairing the world that is perpetually
in need of repair.\ \
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