By Rachel Katz, Executive Director of JFS

As I look ahead to our inaugural Annual Meeting, I’ve also been reflecting on how far Jewish Family Services (JFS) has come. In just five years, we’ve multiplied our volunteer base tenfold and grown from serving 300 households annually to over 2,000. That growth highlights the incredible work of our professional and volunteer team, the investment of our donors, and the broader trends we’re seeing in our community.

During my transition into the Executive Director role, much of my work has centered on strengthening our agency capacity. Maintaining high‑quality care as we grow to meet community needs is essential to our mission. To support that work, we created a three‑year plan that outlines clear goals for growth and sustainability, and I’m proud of the meaningful progress we’ve already made.

This past year, we launched creative fundraising efforts and built relationships with new foundations. We are growing our staff team, and we are making physical improvements to our space so it better reflects the professionalism of our services and supports our growth. To deepen our leadership support, we added new committee opportunities and, most recently, established the JFS Advisory Board. This is a pivotal time to engage lay leaders who will help guide our strategic direction and partner with us as we navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead.

This vision for growth and sustainability fits into a larger picture. It has been a privilege to meet regularly with fellow Jewish agency leaders to discuss our shared hopes for the future of the Indianapolis Jewish community and how we can work better together.

My biggest sense of pride comes from the JFS team, and I am deeply grateful to work alongside them. Every day, they support individuals and families with compassion and skill, while also laying the groundwork for the future of JFS. They work closely with dedicated volunteers, leverage external resources, and creatively develop new service opportunities to better support this community. One of the most exciting initiatives has been spearheaded by our Clinical Director, Julie Sondhelm, who has strategically built the foundation for our new Therapy Program. It’s one example of how our team is building the next chapter of JFS together.

This year has also reminded me how deeply personal this work can be. The hardest moment, without question, was losing our beloved colleague, mentor, and friend, Lori Popp Moss. Lori’s leadership and heart shaped JFS in countless ways, and she had a profound impact on each of us. It is an honor to carry forward the strong foundation she helped build.

JFS is growing with purpose, compassion, and deep gratitude for the people who make this work possible. We look forward to sharing our impact and our vision for what comes next at our Annual Meeting. We can’t do this alone, and we are truly thankful for your partnership. I hope you’ll join us as we continue building a stronger, healthier community together.