[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 187 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF 
                            WASHTENAW COUNTY

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                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 13, 2023

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Jewish 
Family Services of Washtenaw County (JFS) on the occasion of their 30th 
anniversary. The job they have done in providing invaluable social 
services and resources to a diverse, international population in 
Washtenaw County is worthy of commendation.
  JFS traces its roots back to the late 1970s, when several passionate 
volunteers formed a group to assist the growing number of Soviet 
refugee families settling in Ann Arbor. Over the course of the next two 
decades, these individual volunteers built the JFS's initial 
resettlement program, primarily addressing the needs of these ``new 
Americans'' for the first 90 days after their arrival, until they 
became eligible to receive government assistance. These essential 
services included locating suitable housing, providing basic 
furnishings, assisting with employment searches, and teaching English 
and Civics lessons, among others. Upon the JFS's official founding in 
1993 by the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County, its members 
continued to focus on this resettlement program while analyzing other 
potential areas of need in the community.
  Over the last 30 years, JFS has expanded to provide a diverse array 
of programs and services that widely benefit the residents of Washtenaw 
County. Today, the organization serves more than 9,000 clients 
annually, offering services pertaining to Aging & Caregiving, 
Employment and Economic Empowerment, Community Assistance, Crisis 
Intervention, and more. Their Resettlement and Immigration Services 
programs are as strong as ever, helping individuals and families from 
over 20 different countries and offering assistance in 35 different 
languages. In recent years, they have focused on helping those escaping 
conflict in Afghanistan and Ukraine, easing the transition into a new 
community and helping these refugees achieve self-sufficiency as they 
begin this new chapter.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the 
30th anniversary of the Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County. For 
the last three decades, JFS has been working tirelessly to provide 
valuable services to all residents of Washtenaw County, from the old-
timers to the newly-settled. We thank them and are excited to see how 
they continue to serve our diverse Washtenaw County community over the 
next 30 years.

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