Jewish Family Service of St. Paul records

The Jewish Family Service of St. Paul can be traced back to 1911 when it was first known as the Jewish Charities of St. Paul. In their mission they stated "the purpose of this corporation shall be the relief and prevention of want and pauperism among the Jews of the city of St. Paul, to aid the sick, the aged, the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the delinquent, and by proper means to prevent want, distress and delinquency." In the 1920s, as the field of social work changed, there was a strong emphasis on "child guidance work," as the organization worked with children who came into conflict with the law. In 1935 the agency changed their name to the Jewish Welfare Association, providing less mass relief as they focused more towards concrete social services and counseling. Finally, the name was changed after World War II to the now used Jewish Family Service. Major programs have included settlement of displaced persons after World War II and Soviet Jews as well as helping with the aged. Major funding has been provided by both the United Fund of St. Paul and the United Jewish Fund and Council. The Jewish Family Service still serves St. Paul communities, with a mission to "assist individuals and families by helping them build on their strenghts to develop the skills and confidence to meet life's challenges with dignity." Their website can be found at http://www.jfssp.org.