October 18, 2011 | 3:58 pm

Jewish Family Service Wins Agency of the Year

Posted by Julie Gruenbaum Fax

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JFS-SOVA volunteer Jennifer Stanley stocks shelves at the food pantry. SOVA served 13,000 people in August.

Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Los Angeles won the Agency of the Year Award from the Alliance for Children and Families, a 100-year-old association representing more than 350 child- and family-serving organizations. Three organizations are chosen for the award annually.

JFS serves more than 100,000 people every year through non-sectarian agencies that focus on the most vulnerable—children, the elderly, the impoverished, and the physically or psychologically impaired.

The award recognizes JFS’s board participation and support; impact through advocacy efforts on local and state issues; and innovative programming. JFS Board President David O. Levine and JFS Chief Executive Officer Paul S. Castro accepted the award Oct. 18 at the Alliance and UNCA 2011 National Conference in Washington, D.C.

“It is a great honor for JFS to receive the Agency of the Year Award from the Alliance,” said Paul S. Castro, JFS CEO. “Our board of directors and our staff are deeply committed to creating, developing, and securing support for essential social services and programs that improve the day-to-day lives of the thousands of families we serve each year.”

JFS’ advocates for greater awareness and political action to meet the needs of frail older adults, victims of intimate partner violence, and those of all ages facing hunger.

Over the last three years as the economic crisis has deepened and more families face the consequences of hunger and poverty, the numbers of people needing food assistance has grown and the range of issues the families are experiencing have become more complex, according to JFS. In response, JFS-SOVA Community Food & Resource Program has been brought under the leadership of JFS clinical services to provide those in need with comprehensive case and crisis management along with groceries.

To access JFS services, call 877-ASK-4JFS, or go to www.jfsla.org.