On April 28, JF&CS staff, community and sector partners, family, friends, board members and colleagues celebrated our retiring Executive Director, Brian Prousky, and bid him farewell.
Amidst the humour, the wishes for a wonderful retirement, and the occasional barb, a hallmark of the celebration was the recognition of the work of a consummate professional.

Brian Prousky brought to his tenure as ED his vision of shepherding JF&CS through incredible periods of change. From the outset, transparency and access were underpinnings of his leadership. A transformative leader, Brian nurtured the organizational culture; building on its capacity to be open to renewal, re-imagination, agility and adaptability – culture characteristics that will continue to serve well during this time of uncertainty.

Whether it was within the agency, at the Social Service Community partners’ table, at the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Society, or at the Provincial table, Brian was articulate in stating his opinion and providing insight from differing perspectives. A strong advocate for our agency and, more specifically, for the individuals, children, and families that we serve, Brian worked tirelessly to ensure that voices were heard and that every effort was made to attend to the needs of our clients. Especially critical through this time was Brian’s advocacy for the preservation of the agency’s child welfare mandate.

Through Brian’s work with the broader social service community, JF&CS has played a primary leadership role in coalescing the strengths and skills of our various partners; creating new and innovative ways to partner and build the community safety net. Within the agency, Brian supported a strong senior leadership team of dedicated and skilled managers and staff so that they might always excel.

Brian, thank you for bringing your passion, compassion, dedication, enthusiasm, insights, wisdom, and even your Bob Dylan quotes to JF&CS. We have all benefitted from our association with you. Congratulations on a job well done!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner! There’s no better way to honour your mothers and loved ones than with a beautiful JF&CS tribute card or Ecard. All funds raised through tribute cards go towards supporting JF&CS’ greatest needs. 

Click here to order your cards today!

No yeast, no problem! After putting together an incredible virtual cooking demonstration for Chanukah last year, we knew Chef Jordan Wagman’s Passover Pastry Palooza Cooking Event was sure to be a hit. On March 22, participants gathered over Zoom to learn how to cook two yummy Passover-friendly treats: Frozen Nut Butter Chocolate Torte and Macaroons. Over 50 households logged on and everyone was eager to learn how to make these delicious desserts. Participants were very engaged in the cooking lesson, asking Chef Jordan about ingredients, technical skills, and his own history in the kitchen. It was the kind of interaction we were hoping for and we were so glad to receive such fantastic feedback from those who attended.

This was a donate-what-you-can event, and we were absolutely blown away by the generous response of the participants. Thank you to all of our at home chefs and, of course, to Chef Jordan Wagman. We loved seeing your finished products and hearing about how tasty they were. The cooking event was made up of two cups of cooking, one ounce of storytelling, and a heaping tablespoon of fun!

From April 18-24, JF&CS, along with millions of other Canadian organizations, celebrated National Volunteer Week.

JF&CS paid tribute to all of our incredible volunteers by thanking them for their dedication, time, and compassion for our clients through their support of our programs and services. We connected, celebrated, posted on social media, and personally reached out to say “thank you.”

“The Value of One, The Power of Many” was the theme of this year’s National Volunteer Week 2021 Campaign. As Talyah Breslin, Chief Executive Officer of JF&CS stated in her National Volunteer Week message:

“The Value of One, The Power of Many: This statement so aptly reflects the inspiring acts of kindness, Tzedakah and Tikkun Olam, made by our remarkable volunteers who continue to safely give their heart and soul as they make a difference in our community. During the past year, the pandemic has reaped so many hardships on the people we serve, yet our volunteers have never hesitated to help those most in need. They support families, friends, neighbours and strangers. They help us stand up to systemic racism and inequality, which has been so much more pronounced in the way the pandemic has disproportionately impacted those who struggled the most to begin with.”

JF&CS is so grateful to have such wonderful and dedicated volunteers. We are thankful that they continue to generously give their time to support our clients, agency programs, services, and our community institutions. Looking for other ways to be involved with JF&CS? The volunteer opportunities that are currently available are constantly updated on our website, even during the pandemic. 

Thank you and Happy National Volunteer to all of us!

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Volunteer

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