For 125 years, Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Greater Kansas City has worked to strengthen lives through compassion, dignity and community support.
At its 125th Anniversary Celebration on May 7, JFS recognized two women whose dedication and service have helped shape the organization’s impact: Ann Baum and Marla Brockman.
Held at Fiorella’s Event Space in Overland Park, Kansas, the evening brought together supporters, community leaders, volunteers and longtime friends of JFS to celebrate a “Legacy of Care” while honoring those who embody that legacy through service.
Ann Baum received the Alfred Benjamin Friend of the Family Award, named in memory of Alfred Benjamin, the second president of JFS. The award recognizes individuals whose accomplishments exemplify compassion, humanity and a commitment to improving quality of life for others. Baum was honored for her decades of volunteerism, philanthropy and steadfast dedication to both JFS and the Greater Kansas City community.
“Ann has devoted both her professional career and personal life to vital social service causes, the arts and the environment,” JFS Board President Jane Sosland said during the award presentation. “It would be difficult to find a corner of our community that hasn’t been strengthened by Ann’s generosity, leadership and commitment.”
“Ann represents the very best of what JFS stands for,” JFS Executive Director and CEO Angela DeWilde said. “Her compassion, wisdom and commitment to helping others have impacted countless lives.”
A JFS board member in the 1980s, Baum helped shape the organization during a pivotal chapter in its history and has remained deeply connected ever since. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she provided ongoing support to help JFS pilot safe social worker outreach through its food pantry, ensuring vulnerable families remained connected to care during an uncertain time. Her philanthropy has earned recognition through JFS’s Heritage Lifetime Cumulative Giving Level.
For Baum, service is deeply personal. In accepting the honor, she reflected on the values she shared with her late husband, Kenny Baum (z”l).
“Kenny and I had this commitment to do whatever we could to improve our community,” Baum said. “My desire is to carry on this torch for both of us and for our family.”
JFS also presented the Dr. Phyliss & Robert A. Bernstein Humanitarian Award to Marla Brockman, recognizing her longtime devotion to JFS, particularly through the food pantry and social work programs. Established during JFS’s 100th anniversary in honor of Dr. Phyliss and Robert A. Bernstein’s longstanding commitment to the agency, the award honors individuals whose lives reflect a deep commitment to strengthening quality of life in the Kansas City community.
“Many in the Jewish community know Marla as someone who simply shows up, without hesitation,” said JFS Board Treasurer Mary McLean, who presented the award.
“Marla models the very best of community leadership,” DeWilde added. “Her work honors the dignity of every person she meets, proving that helping a single family can create ripple effects across an entire community.”
Also a JFS board member in the 1980s, Brockman has volunteered with JFS since 2012. She regularly picks up weekly Whole Foods donations for JFS pantries and mobilized family and neighbors during the pandemic to organize food drives as community needs surged. She and her husband, John, also sponsored and assembled care bags for unhoused individuals during JFS’s 120th anniversary open house.
Beyond JFS, Brockman has educated students ages 15 to 62 at nearly every Jewish educational venue in Kansas City and coaches cross country for Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy students, where she previously served as a faculty member.
At 125 years, JFS is celebrating not only its history, but the people who make that history meaningful. JFS honors Baum and Brockman because through their service, they are reminders that caring for community is more than simply an act of generosity; it is a lasting legacy.
For more information about JFS, or to support its programs, visit www.jfskc.org.
