For 125 years, Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City (JFS) has worked to strengthen lives through their social work-supported food pantry, mental health care, older adult services and Jewish community support.
In May, JFS will celebrate 125 years of service to Greater Kansas City, embracing its legacy rooted in human connection.
“For 125 years, our community has shown what it means to care for one another,” said Angela DeWilde, CEO of JFS. “We honor the generations who built this foundation of compassion, and we recommit ourselves to ensuring every neighbor feels supported, seen and valued.”
On May 7, the community is invited to a commemorative evening to reflect on JFS’s history, honor community champions and look ahead to its next 125 years of service. The event will be from 6-8:30 p.m. at Fiorella’s Event Space (9000 W. 137th St., Overland Park, KS 66221).
VAAD-certified Jack Stack’s signature barbecue, additional culinary bites and cocktails will be offered while raising critical funds to sustain JFS programs. A $100,000 matching gift was given to JFS by the Barton P. and Mary D. Cohen Charitable Trust, Midwest Trust, Trustee.
The evening will be presented by the Jacobson family, the Seidler Foundation, and Sue and Lewis Nerman. Those who are part of the event include the Jacobsons (the honorary family), Event Co-Chairs Sheryl and Andrew Kaplan, Host Committee Co-Chairs Jenny and John Isenberg, Sponsorship Chair Eric Kaseff, Emcee Joel Goldberg (Emmy-winning broadcaster and TV voice of the Kansas City Royals) and Fund-a-Need Emcee Noah Slabotsky.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at jfskc.org/jfs125.
A legacy of human service and community support
Founded in 1901, JFS began as an outgrowth of Jewish communal efforts to provide humanitarian aid and social services to immigrant families, individuals living in poverty and those facing crisis. Early leadership included figures such as Alfred Benjamin, co-founder and long-serving board president from 1904 to 1923, whose compassion helped shape the organization’s mission and values.
One of the earliest incarnations of JFS was the Benjamin Dispensary, where medical and social support services were offered to those in need.
A 1930 photograph showing staff and patients in the waiting room of the Alfred Benjamin Dispensary. (Kansas City Public Library)
Over the decades, JFS has expanded its programs to meet the evolving needs of the community. Through counseling and mental health services, older adult support, Jewish community education and food security programs like the JFS social work-supported food pantry, the agency has continually adapted to support individuals of all ages, faiths and backgrounds.
Honoring champions of tikkun olam
A highlight of the anniversary celebration will be the presentation of two honors recognizing community leaders whose lives reflect the mission of JFS.
Marla Brockman will be presented with the Dr. Phyliss & Robert A. Bernstein Humanitarian Award. Established during JFS’s 100th anniversary, the Bernstein Award recognizes individuals whose dedication strengthens quality of life across Kansas City.
Brockman’s impact spans decades. A former JFS board member and volunteer since 2012, she coordinates weekly food donations, mobilized neighborhood food drives during COVID and helped lead special projects supporting unhoused neighbors. A lifelong Jewish educator, Brockman has taught generations of Kansas Citians across nearly every Jewish educational venue in the city.
“I love my volunteer time with the food pantry,” Brockman said. “My life is elevated by the relationships I’ve been privileged to forge through this organization.”
Ann Baum will be presented with the Alfred Benjamin Friend of the Family Award, which honors those whose compassion and civic leadership uplift the broader community.
Baum has devoted her career and personal life to strengthening social services, the arts and environmental causes throughout Kansas City. A former JFS board member, she continues to champion innovative outreach in the JFS food pantry and remains one of JFS’s most dedicated philanthropic partners.
For this honor, she recognizes her late husband, Kenny Baum.
“Kenny and I shared a commitment to improving our community,” Baum said. “My desire is to carry on that torch for both of us and for our family.”
While 125 years is a milestone, JFS leadership emphasizes that the celebration is not just about history; it is about sustaining essential services for the next generation.
“Our mission has always been rooted in dignity,” DeWilde said. “As long as there are families in need of food, individuals seeking mental health support, seniors longing for connection, and a growing community to support, JFS will be here.”
More information about JFS and its anniversary is available at jfskc.org/jfs125.
