Jewish Community Services of South Florida (JCS)

Today, on Holocaust Survivor Day, we honor the extraordinary strength, resilience, and legacy of Holocaust Survivors. Through our Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program, JCS serves more than 400 Survivors in Miami-Dade County, helping ensure they age with dignity, independence, and connection to community.

We are especially honored to serve Malka "Mollie" Horwitz, the oldest known living Holocaust Survivor in Florida, who recently celebrated her 110th birthday.

We are grateful to Claims Conference, Jewish Federations of North America, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Kavod Shef-Seed The Dream Foundation, the State of Florida, The Blue Card, and our Board of Directors and donors for making this important work possible.

Please consider a contribution to Holocaust Survivors here: https://jcsfl.org/donate

JCS is proud to share that JCS 211 Miami is connecting families to free summer meals for children and teens through the statewide Summer BreakSpot program!

Summer BreakSpot offers free breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks for kids and teens 18 and under at schools, parks, libraries, and community centers throughout the community. No application is needed.

JCS 211 Miami, part of the Florida 2-1-1 network, helps connect families in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties to important local resources, including food assistance and summer support programs.

Families can find nearby meal sites by visiting summerbreakspot.org/find-location and entering their zip code or by calling 2-1-1.

JCS 211 Miami is generously funded by The Children's Trust, Thriving Mind South Florida and United Way Miami.

At the JCS Kosher Food Bank (KFB), dignity is just as important as nourishment. 💙

Thanks to the leadership and compassion of local teen and Eagle Scout candidate Yaffa Zippin, families visiting the JCS KFB will now have a welcoming place to sit comfortably while receiving assistance. Her custom-built bench project reflects the mission of JCS to support individuals and families with care, respect, and compassion.

The JCS Kosher Food Bank continues to provide nutritious kosher food and critical support services to families across South Florida facing food insecurity, while ensuring every person is treated with dignity.

We are grateful for volunteers like Yaffa who help strengthen our community through service and kindness. ✨

Summer for Every Child!

Give your child a summer filled with learning, growth, friendship, and fun! From camps and educational programs to enriching activities across Miami-Dade, there are opportunities for every child to learn, grow, and thrive this summer.

Visit 211miami.org/SummerCamps
Dial 2-1-1 for more information
OR text your ZIP code to 898-211 to find resources near you.

Congratulations to Miriam Singer, President & CEO of JCS, on being named the recipient of the 2026 Education & Advocacy Award at United HomeCare’s 31st Annual Claude Pepper Awards!

This recognition honors Miriam’s longstanding leadership, advocacy, and commitment to strengthening the lives of vulnerable individuals and families throughout South Florida.

We are grateful to United HomeCare for this meaningful recognition and for their continued dedication to caring for older and disabled adults in our community while carrying forward the legacy of Claude Pepper.

We are proud to share that JCS has received a 2026 Award of Distinction from The Communicator Awards in the General – Crisis Management category for our PR campaign with The Advocacy Collective.

This recognition honors the collaborative advocacy effort in 2025 that helped restore $16.577 million in Miami-Dade County funding for essential community services, including food security, mental health care, housing stability, disability services, and homelessness prevention.

Thank you to our 63 nonprofit partners, community advocates, elected officials, supporters, and residents who came together to protect Miami-Dade’s social safety net. This award reflects the power of partnership, strategic communication, and community-centered advocacy!

Last weekend, JCS Tikkun Olam Family volunteers came together at Color Time Café to paint pottery pieces that will be gifted to Holocaust Survivors served by JCS. Every piece was painted with love, and will help remind Survivors in our community that they are remembered and cared for.

Special thank you to Color Time Café for partnering with us and helping bring this meaningful event to life, and thank you to every volunteer who spent their Sunday giving back!

Interested in becoming a TOF member? Sign up here: https://jcs-portal.goldenvolunteer.com/opportunities/YRzgrMA3QM

We are proud to share that JCS received the international 2026 PowerNET Program Impact Award from The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies for our work with The Advocacy Collective!

Brought together by JCS, The Advocacy Collective is a coalition of 65 nonprofits who successfully advocated for the restoration of $16.577 million in Miami-Dade County funding for essential services including food security, mental health care, housing stability, disability services, and more during last year's budget cycle.

This award reflects the power of partnership, persistence, and community advocacy. We thank our community for supporting JCS and our mission to care for vulnerable individuals and families across Miami-Dade. 💙

Last week, JCS' Board Chair Vanessa Ressler and members of the JCS Board attended the Miami City Commission meeting to be recognized in honor of Jewish Heritage Month!

We are grateful to Mayor Eileen Higgins and the Miami City Commission for recognizing the contributions, history, and impact of the Jewish community in our city, and for celebrating the organizations and leaders working to strengthen our community every day.