Holiday celebrations, in general, bring the complex nature of family into stark relief. For those of us in child welfare, Mother’s Day embodies that complexity perhaps more than any other day. On the one hand, the nature of our work is defined by family disruptions,...
On April 20, 2018, we hosted a dynamic conference at UJA-Federation in New York City--Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC): Prevention, Protection and Clinical Practice. We had more than 250 experts and professionals in attendance, including school...
Volunteers, families and Cottage Schools residents recently attended the heartwarming Volunteer Dinner at JCCA’s Pleasantville Cottage Campus. Children and teens spoke movingly about what their volunteers mean to them, and hearing our dedicated volunteers and mentors...
A Passover Message from Ronald Richter Dear Friend: As the holiday of Passover begins tonight, the Jewish community all over the world will celebrate the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt more than 3000 years ago. The Passover seder retells this story...
The message below was sent to JCCA staff for International Women's Day on March 8, 2018. Dear JCCA Colleagues: Today is International Women’s Day. The celebration, adopted in 1975 by the United Nations, has special significance this year, in particular because of...
The message below was sent to JCCA staff following the tragic high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018. Dear JCCA Colleagues: Yesterday afternoon, a gunman opened fire on students at a Florida high school, killing at least 17 people and wounding...
Teens and staff from JCCA joined Childrens Aid Society, The Children's Village, and other child welfare organizations in Albany to advocate for more help for foster youth attending college. We met with state legislators and their staff to ask for $4.5 million in the...
JCCA Trustee Stephanie Spiegel, pictured here with her husband Lee, was honored for her incredible dedication to the children and families of JCCA. Because of her efforts, the annual Tree event has raised more than $4 million since its inception in 2006. Additionally,...
Trustee Stephanie Spiegel is this year’s honoree at JCCA’s “A Tree Grows in Pleasantville” event. It’s a fitting award for a woman who organized the first Tree event in 2005, started the Pleasantville Cottage Campus Lunch Bunch volunteer program 14 years ago, and...
Dear JCCA Colleagues, As I reflect on 2017, I am more appreciative than ever of you, our JCCA staff members, who continue to devote yourselves to the highest quality of care for our children and families. While we cannot predict what the future holds, I am optimistic...