This year, we’re celebrating the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island’s 90th birthday. As the JCC turns 90, we reflect back on the milestones the organization has achieved over the years.

February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, a worldwide effort to raise awareness and advocate for people with disabilities. At the JCC, we believe that providing services to people with disabilities is a core component to everything we do, and we have a long history of creating programs to support their needs.

We continued to expand our offerings for people with disabilities to help during at all stages of life. In 1989, under the direction of Early Childhood Education Director Beth Howard, the JCC developed the First Foot Forward Program, an educational program for young children with speech delays, sensory needs, and motor issues. The program started out small and continued to grow under the guidance of Jayne Smith, our Chief Program Director for Early Childhood and Disability Services. The current program, which is offered at three sites, includes individualized instruction with different types of therapy for children’s various needs.

In the summers, children of all abilities are able to create wonderful memories and make new friends at summer camp. Marvin’s Camp for Children with Special Needs, named in memory of Marvin Weissglass, is a unique recreational summer program customized for children with disabilities. Campers are able to enjoy the great outdoors, go on trips, and socialize in a safe and inclusive environment. 

We engage our participants in opportunities to be healthy, social, and active members of the community with a maximum degree of independence. 

Watch this video from UJA Federation of New York of our Day Hab participants enjoying their music class.

Acceptance and inclusion are key components to all of our programming at the JCC. We offer inclusion opportunities in many of our traditional programs, including sports, camp, and after school programs, so that children and young adults with disabilities are able to take part in a wide array of activities.

In every one of our sites, we emphasize the importance of creating a space where everyone feels welcome. The JCC is proud to be a place where people of all abilities can feel safe and included, and most importantly, where they can learn and have fun.

An unfortunate reality of aging is the prevalence of memory loss. In the next ten years, it is projected that one in five Americans will either have Alzheimer’s Disease or will provide care to a family member with the disease.

At the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC, we provide services to those suffering from memory loss and their families. For those living with Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia, Rosemary’s Place and My Place provide safe spaces for them to socialize and participate in low-barrier activities that help slow the progression of the disease. For people with early to mid-stage dementia, the opportunity to be part of a community that understands and supports them while still living at home is invaluable.

In addition to caring for those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia, we also recognize the enormous strain friends and family of the person with the disease experience. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed and usually prioritize their loved one’s needs over their own. That’s why we serve over 150 caregivers and their families through our Caregivers Support Center.

We provide all different types of support for our caregivers, who all have differing needs. For those who wish to express their feelings, we offer five support groups every week as well as individual counseling for those in need. We also offer a six-week evidence-based education program for caregivers to help them better maintain healthy relationships with their loved one. To relax, we host spa and wellness days for caregivers.

On a personal note, my family and I know the burden of being caregivers to a loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease and can really appreciate the value of these services.

In order to continue to provide these valuable services, we need to continually raise funds for our Family Solutions to Memory Loss programs. To help fund our programs, we will be hosting our #RememberMe Brunch on Sunday, February 23rd. We invite you all to join us as we celebrate our honorees, Cherine Hanna, Adele McMahon, LCSW-R, Jackie Reiter, LMSW, and Rabbi Stephen Stern, PhD.

You can buy tickets and sponsorships for the event here. 

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This year, we’re celebrating the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island’s 90th birthday. As the JCC turns 90, we reflect back on the milestones the organization has achieved over the years.

Traditionally, the holidays are a time to gather round the table with the ones you love. But for some of our neighbors, food insecurity makes this an even harder time of the year. That's where the JCC steps in, offering food and other social services to those in need through our Kosher Food Pantry.

The pantry provides food to over 450 households in our community annually, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or ethnic background. We distribute over 7,500 packages of food every year to those in need!

What makes our food pantry unique is that is it set up "supermarket-style" and by appointment only. Those who need food receive personal and confidential service. They are able to "shop" up and down the aisles for the food they desire. Volunteers and staff also provide healthy recipes and explain how to cook items.

For many, the Kosher Food Pantry is a supplement to low or fixed income, loss of income due to illness or job loss, or loss of second income for single parents. For others, it is considered emergency assistance, assisting households’ transition through crisis. Our Kosher Food Pantry helps provide nutritious food to babies, children, seniors, veterans, and struggling families. The people who utilize our food pantry may be your friends, neighbors, or relatives. We treat all we serve with kindness, respect, and dignity.

We understand the special dietary needs of our participants and provide the appropriate food supply to maintain a healthy lifestyle according to individual need. On each visit, we provide enough groceries for a minimum of 3 meals per day for at least 3 days for each person in the household.

​The food pantry is run by volunteers and staff, as well as participants from our Day Hab program who have developmental disabilities. These young adults are responsible for stocking and packaging items. We also have five other volunteers who are trained to assist pantry participants. Some of our volunteers have also been food pantry recipients themselves and want to give back to the place that helped them when they needed it most. 

To supply our food pantry with enough food to feed the hungry and funds to address the growing need in our community, our program relies on support from Food Bank, UJA, Met-Council, RCSF, and ShopRite, as well as caring individuals and businesses. Without their support, we couldn't do the work to ensure that people in our community have access to fresh and healthy food.

This year, we were proud to receive the award for best food pantry on Staten Island from Food Bank NYC, the food pantry network and supplier to hundreds of pantries citywide!

With the support of the community, our volunteers, and the JCC’s incredible staff, we will continue to ensure that any hungry member of the Staten Island community is able to put food on their table this holiday season. If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity, please contact Devorah Weiss, LMSW, at [email protected] or 718.475.5245.

If you're interested in donating to help keep the food pantry stocked, click here.

This year, we’re celebrating the JCC of Staten Island’s 90th birthday. As the JCC turns 90, we reflect back on the milestones the organization has achieved over the years.
 
The ways we communicate have changed drastically since the JCC opened its doors 90 years ago. Beginning in the 1930s, direct mail was the main form of communication for the JCC. To help keep members informed, the Bulletin was started as a newspaper serving the Jewish community. It was an important source of information, including news stories, upcoming events, and birth and marriage announcements. It also contained some more gossipy items and ads for local businesses.