Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington (JCA)

Helping over 30,000 local elders of all faiths live independently and avoid isolation through award-winning adult day care, transportation, employment, information and referral services, exercise and wellness classes, and adult educational programs.

Why do we exist?

The Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington (JCA) represents something different to each and every man and woman we proudly serve.  To the isolated senior with no means of getting around town, we are the smiling ElderBus driver who cheerfully helps with canes, walkers, and wheelchairs and even carries packages with a smile.  To the concerned family member suddenly faced with overwhelming health or home care issues, we are the confident voice of a Senior HelpLine information specialist who understands precisely the services needed to care for a beloved parent or spouse and can access JCA’s unique, comprehensive database to locate the needed services close to home.  To the sedentary senior who recognizes the importance of being physically active, we are the Active for Life® program offering courses on Active Living Every Day and Active Now! Maryland that teach 50+ individuals how to get moving and stay moving.

JCA is all of this and so much more!  We are different faces in various places, but united in our mission of helping seniors experience the positive side of aging.  Last year, because of generous friends like you, JCA served more than 30,000 older people of all faiths and from all walks of life. We helped them avoid isolation and live independently in the communities they cherish.

JCA operates all of these essential, award-winning programs:

• The Center for Information Services, which includes the Rose Benté Lee Senior HelpLine, Senior HelpLine Plus, the Steven M. Reich HomeCare Resource Center, the Connect-A-Ride Transportation Resource Center, Smooth Riding, and the JCA Community Speakers Bureau;
• The Ruth & Hans Cahnmann Center for Supportive Services, which includes the Harold & Rose Kramer Center on Transportation, the Albert & Helen Misler Adult Day Center, and Caregiver Support Groups;
• The Sylvia & Abe Blajwas Center for Productive Aging and its Fitness 55® Health & Wellness Program, Bethesda Vital Living Center for Seniors, JCA SeniorNet Computer Training Centers, Computer Docs Program, and the Senior Community Service Employment Program and other senior employment services; and
• The Active for Life® Center of the National Capital Region.

What have you accomplished?

Last year, JCA’s 10 ElderBuses and one minivan provided 59,857 passenger trips, with drivers logging over 134,223 miles.  The Connect-A-Ride Transportation Resource Center found 14,544 rides for older adults in need.  The Misler Adult Day Center served 147 frail elders, providing 10,978 days of compassionate care. Information Services programs responded to 14,211 inquiries on senior resources. The Senior Community Service Employment Program benefited 140 low-income older jobseekers with on-the-job training.  Over 100 JCA SeniorNet volunteers taught 694 older students how to use computer technology and the Internet.  Volunteers working for the Computer Docs Program contributed more than 300 hours refurbishing donated Pentium II and faster computers, and donated 60 machines to those who needed them.  And, JCA accomplished much, much more!

Sarah (not her real name) was one of our clients. She rode JCA's wheelchair-accessible buses and attended JCA's Misler Adult Day Center. Doing so transformed her life. A geriatric aide on JCA's staff said this about her: "Sarah, who is 91 years old, smiled—really smiled—yesterday for the first time in nearly a year. It was only for a moment that her eyes cleared of confusion. Yet, she saw me then—really saw me! She was holding my hand when it happened. 'I am happy to be here,' she said. I cried … for in that moment, I thought of my mom and wished I could have been there when she was so sick."

The many appreciative telephone calls, letters, and e-mails we receive are wonderful tributes to the vital, life-changing services we deliver. They are most welcome! It feels good, too, when other organizations acclaim our success, as they often do with awards and accolades. Yet, when all is said and done, nothing matters quite as much as Sarah's smile.

	How do you help people in my community?		Why do you need my support?
	How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?		Can I Volunteer? How?