Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts

What Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts does

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFSWM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization founded in 1898 and headquartered at 15 Lenox Street in Springfield, Massachusetts, with a secondary office in Pittsfield serving Berkshire County. The organization operates across five core programmatic areas: New American refugee resettlement and integration (in partnership with HIAS and the Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants), Older Adults services including guardianship and conservatorship, Behavioral Health services, Jewish Life enrichment programs, and Citizenship and Immigration services. In 2025, JFS served more than 6,000 clients and engaged over 2,000 community members, with stated 5-year cumulative impact of resettling over 2,000 refugees. Deliveries are made by a multicultural, multilingual staff operating in over 20 languages, supported by 150+ active volunteers.

The agency's technology infrastructure is modest and operations-focused: web-based case management and referral systems, the BurlingtonEnglish platform for ESL coaching, and Zoom for virtual programming. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capability disclosed. Revenue is generated through a mix of individual and corporate donations, federal and state government grants (DHS/USCIS, FEMA, Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants), fee-based citizenship and immigration services, community space rentals at $50/hour, and planned giving through the JFS Legacy Society. The organization states that 91 cents of every dollar donated goes to direct services.

JFSWM goes to market through community-based partnerships, referrals from state agencies and HIAS, direct service delivery at offices and in clients' homes, employer and landlord engagement for refugee employment and housing, and donor cultivation via annual events (Blossom Brunch), email newsletters, and social media. Customer segments are primarily not-for-profit-serving populations: refugees and new Americans within five years of arrival, older adults and caregivers, the Jewish community of Western Massachusetts, and individuals/families seeking behavioral health support. The organization is governed by a 14-member Board of Directors and led by CEO Rabbi James Greene (since December 2022), CFO Christine Lorenz, and COO Sara Bedford.

Name

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts

Legal name

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, Inc.

Website

https://jfswm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1898 serving refugees, older adults, the Jewish community, and behavioral health clients across Western Massachusetts through multilingual resettlement, guardianship, and social service programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Human Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Diaspora, Family Reunification & Case Management Services (BPADAHAM), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI), Workforce Support Services & Case Management (Coaching, Wraparound) (EDAAAOAK), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK)

Keywords

• Refugee resettlement services
• Older adult care services
• Behavioral health counseling
• Citizenship immigration assistance
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals and businesses; 91 cents of every dollar goes to direct services
2. Government Grants: Federal grants including USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grants, FEMA Nonprofit Security Grants, and State funding
3. Fee-for-Service Programs: Fee-based citizenship and immigration services; community space rentals at $50/hour
4. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Bequests, charitable gift annuities, endowment funds through JFS Legacy Society

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFSWM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services agency that delivers refugee resettlement and integration support, older adult care including guardianship and conservatorship, behavioral health counseling, citizenship and immigration legal services, adult ESL and employment training, and Jewish community enrichment programs. Services are delivered directly by multicultural, multilingual staff across offices in Springfield and the Berkshires, with most programs offered free of charge to clients and supported by government grants, individual and corporate donations, and modest fee-for-service revenue.

Product overview

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts is a nonprofit social services organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs serving individuals and families across Western Massachusetts. The organization operates as a multi-service agency with distinct program areas including Jewish Life enrichment programs, Older Adults services (with NORC programs, guardianship, and caregiver support), Behavioral Health services (outpatient therapy and refugee-specific mental health programs), the New American Program (refugee resettlement in partnership with HIAS), Citizenship and Immigration Services, Adult Education and English language programs, and Volunteer engagement. These programs are delivered by multicultural, multilingual staff across offices in Springfield, the Berkshires, and Northampton, with a focus on serving diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jewish Life Programs Jewish community social services, outreach, education, and volunteer programs for the Jewish community of Western Massachusetts, including Case Management, Jewish Family Service Corps, Kavanah Teen Group, Resiliency Programming, Essen-tials Kosher Food Program, and Community Social Services.
• Older Adults Services Counseling, caregiver support groups, comprehensive in-home assessments, guardianship and conservatorship services, educational presentations, and resources/referrals for older adults and their families and caregivers in Western Massachusetts and the Berkshires.
• Behavioral Health Services Strength-based outpatient therapy for individuals, couples, and families; Refugee Mental Health Community Support Program (CSP); In-Home Therapy for Youth and Families (IHT); and Therapeutic Mentoring Program.
• New American Program Comprehensive refugee resettlement and integration services delivered in partnership with HIAS and the U.S. State Department, including case management, employment assistance, school enrollment, benefits enrollment, financial assistance, and group orientation/instruction.
• Citizenship & Immigration Services Fee-based naturalization services, immigrant petitions, and formerly free citizenship classes provided under DOJ-accredited representation.
• Essen-tials Kosher Food Program Kosher food distribution program operated in collaboration with Rachel's Table of Western Massachusetts, providing kosher food multiple times yearly to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity who observe kashrut.
• Adult Education Services ESL Coaching Program, Conversation Circles, Home Coaching Program, Digital Literacy Circles, Employment Skills Training Program, and Financial Literacy Circles helping refugees learn English, develop job skills, and achieve self-sufficiency.
• Youth Services School enrollment assistance, tutoring, mentoring programs, summer camp connections, and Girl Scout troop connections supporting school-aged refugee youth and their parents.
• PEERS Elder Support Program Program to Enhance Elder Refugee Support (PEERS) connecting eldest New Americans to appropriate services, reducing isolation and fostering community connections.
• Community Space Rental Rental of JFS community meeting space at $50 per hour to ethnic-based community organizations and member-led nonprofits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 refugees resettled from around the world to Western Massachusetts in the past five years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJFS resettles refugees in partnership with HIAS and the U.S. State Department. HIAS provides guidance, resources, and coordination for refugee resettlement operations.
• Massachusetts Office of Refugees and ImmigrantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnership providing wrap-around support to refugees and asylees to help them settle in Western Massachusetts.
• Jewish Federation of Western MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJFS is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts. The Federation provides funding support and partnership for Jewish community programs.
• Rachel's Table of Western MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for ESSEN-tials Kosher Food Program. Rachel's Table serves as the main food rescue organization while JFS provides kosher food distribution.
• RadSpringfield (Make-It Springfield Community Bike Shop)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Joe Dorison Memorial Bike Fund to distribute bicycles to newly arriving refugees for transportation to employment.
• RadSpringfieldsupportingOthersHas been collaborating with JFS since 2021 to help provide refugees with transportation to get to work.
• Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies (NJHSA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJFS is a member agency of NJHSA. Received Jewish Poverty Challenge grant through this network partnership.
• Jewish Federation of the BerkshiressupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJFS clinical social worker stationed at Jewish Federation of the Berkshires to provide case management and information/referral services.
• Yad ChessedsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through NJHSA Jewish Poverty Challenge grant to bring additional resources to those experiencing financial distress in Western Massachusetts Jewish community.
• Springfield Public Schools and area school districtssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to enroll refugee youth, connect them with teachers, and provide homework help and mentorship through tutoring programs.
• Area Community Colleges and Learning CenterssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to connect refugees with training programs including CNA, PCA, CDL and other certification programs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee (IRC): National leader in refugee resettlement with HIAS-affiliated offices; competes with JFS for federal refugee admissions contracts and offers a similar suite of resettlement, employment, and integration services.
• HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society): National Jewish-affiliated refugee resettlement agency and JFS's core strategic partner; coordinates the resettlement pipeline and competes indirectly for federal refugee funding.

Direct peers

• Lutheran Social Services of New England: Faith-based social services organization with refugee resettlement, older adult, and behavioral health programming in the New England region — closely comparable operating model.
• Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA): Jewish-affiliated social services agency offering behavioral health, older adult, refugee/immigrant, and case management programs — a near-identical service portfolio to JFS Western MA.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Springfield: Faith-based social services agency serving the same Western Massachusetts footprint with refugee resettlement, family services, and elder care programs directly comparable to JFS's portfolio.
• Ascentria Care Alliance: Another major refugee resettlement and immigrant services provider in Massachusetts, with overlapping HIAS partnership and direct service overlap with JFS in Western and Central MA.
• Jewish Family & Children's Service of Greater Boston (JF&CS): Sister Jewish Family Service agency serving a different Massachusetts region with the same faith-rooted, multi-program nonprofit model (behavioral health, older adult services, refugee/immigrant support).

Others

• Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA): National membership body for Jewish social service agencies; JFS is a member and has received grants through NJHSA (Jewish Poverty Challenge) — analogous to a peer network and funding channel rather than direct competitor.
• Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts: Federated Jewish philanthropic umbrella that funds JFS as a beneficiary agency; functionally a strategic funding partner and indirect steward rather than direct service competitor.

Emerging players

• Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC): National refugee resettlement and immigrant integration agency; competes for federal refugee admissions contracts and shares the multi-cultural, multilingual service-delivery model with JFS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCG256tHxzrS45q0go9Xulgg
• Facebookfacebook.com/JFSWM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jewish-family-service-of-western-massachusetts
• Instagraminstagram.com/jfsofwm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts