Jewish Family Services

What Jewish Family Services does

Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services agency founded in 1853 as the Hebrew Benevolent Society and rebranded as JFS in 1976. The organization delivers a portfolio of 26+ programs organized across six service areas: Counseling Services (individual, couples, family, and children/teens therapy by licensed clinical social workers), Adoption Services (birth parent support, adoptive parent services, and LGBTQ+ adoption programs with over 50 years of experience and nearly 1,000 children placed), Food & Financial Support (emergency financial assistance, kosher food boxes, school supplies, and Hanukkah gifts), Older Adult Programs (Helping Hands companionship, Golden Lunch Bunch, Cyber Seniors, dementia enrichment, and religious programming), Family & Community Enrichment (Chaver Mentor, Jewish Job Network, Rosh Hodesh, support groups, and information/referral), and the Mental Health Matters stigma-reduction series.

The technology and delivery model is conventional rather than proprietary: clinical services are provided by licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) with certified virtual provider status supporting telehealth. The organization does not operate a software platform, API, or mobile app. Headquarters are co-located within the Gordon Jewish Community Center in Nashville, and services are distributed through direct office visits, partner-site programming at assisted living facilities, synagogues, and schools, and telehealth channels covering Davidson County and Middle Tennessee.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: charitable donations (individual giving, planned giving, Chesed Dinner sponsorships at $300–$3,000 tiers, corporate matching, United Way designation), grants (primarily Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee plus targeted foundations), insurance and EAP/Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements for counseling, and fee-for-service for adoption and case management. Many services are delivered free of charge with sliding-scale pricing for uninsured counseling clients. The organization is led by Executive Director Pam Kelner (since 2010) and governed by a volunteer board, with operations supported by 6 paid staff and 191 volunteers.

Name

Jewish Family Services

Legal name

Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Inc.

Website

https://jfsnashville.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1853

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jewish Family Service of Nashville and Middle Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1853 that provides counseling, adoption, food and financial assistance, older adult programs, and family/community enrichment across 26+ programs to individuals and families in Davidson County and Middle Tennessee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social and Human Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE), Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

Keywords

• Social services
• Counseling services
• Adoption services
• Mental health support
• Family services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tennessee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: JFS relies on generous community donors, individual contributions, and fundraising events including the annual Chesed Dinner. Donors can contribute through direct donations, planned giving (Life & Legacy), Amazon Smile, vehicle donations, stock donations, Kroger Community Rewards, corporate matching gifts, memorials and tributes, and United Way designation.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee and other foundations supports programs including financial assistance, kosher food boxes, and community programming.
3. Service Fees: Fee-for-service programs including adoption services, counseling, and case management. Many services are provided at no cost including support groups, senior services, family life education, and information/referral services.
4. Insurance Reimbursement: JFS accepts insurance from major insurance companies, EAP providers, Medicare, and Medicaid for counseling and therapy services. Sliding scale pricing available for uninsured clients based on income and family size.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jewish Family Service is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services agency that delivers counseling, adoption placement, food and financial assistance, older adult programs, and family/community enrichment services. With over 26 programs, it serves individuals and families across Davidson County and Middle Tennessee through licensed clinicians, trained volunteers, and community partners. Many services are free; counseling and adoption services are fee-based or insurance-reimbursable.

Product overview

Jewish Family Service is a comprehensive social services agency offering a diverse portfolio of programs organized across six core service areas: Counseling Services (individual, couples, family, and children/teens counseling), Adoption Services (birth parent support, adoptive parent services, and LGBTQ+ adoption programs), Food & Financial Support (emergency assistance, kosher food boxes, school supplies, and holiday gifts), Older Adult Programs (companionship, tech assistance, dementia care, and religious programming), Family & Community Enrichment (mentorship, education, job networking, and support groups), and Mental Health Matters (stigma-reduction programming). With over 26 programs, JFS serves individuals and families through life's transitions, providing both direct services and information/referral resources to the Nashville and Middle Tennessee community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mental Health Matters: A year-long series designed to reduce the stigma of mental health issues by providing education, increasing awareness, and inclusivity.
• Cyber Seniors
• Golden Lunch Bunch
• Helping Hands
• Jewish Job Network
• Chaver Mentor Program
• Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing
• Healthy Skills for Healthy Kids

Products and services

• Counseling Services Licensed clinical social workers provide counseling for individuals, couples, families, and children/adolescents covering depression, anxiety, relationships, grief, and other mental health concerns for clients in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
• Adoption Services Licensed child-placing agency providing adoption services including birth parent counseling, home studies, post-placement services for domestic and international adoptions, and the LGBTQ+ Adoption Journeys program for prospective adoptive parents and birth parents.
• Food & Financial Support Confidential emergency financial assistance and material support covering rent, utilities, kosher food boxes, school supplies, and Hanukkah gifts for families in need in the Nashville Jewish community.
• Older Adult Programs & Services Comprehensive programs for older adults including companionship through Helping Hands, dementia enrichment (Musical Helping Hands and OMA), Golden Lunch Bunch luncheons, Cyber Seniors tech assistance, Jacob's Ladder household help, Low-Vision Aid, religious programming, and a Senior Services Directory of 75+ resources.
• Family & Community Enrichment Educational, mentorship, job networking, and peer support programs including the Chaver Mentor Program, Family Life Education, Healthy Skills for Healthy Kids, Jewish Job Network, Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing, and Support Groups.
• Information & Referral Services Free, confidential service that connects individuals with local and national resources for childcare, housing, transportation, employment, addiction, mental health, and other needs.
• Mental Health Matters Series of workshops, support programs, and community education designed to reduce the stigma of mental health issues and increase awareness and inclusivity, including sub-programs such as Beads of Courage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,000 children placed into loving homes over 50 years of adoption services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Network of Jewish Human Service AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with national network of Jewish human service agencies providing best practices, resources, and professional development opportunities.
• Gordon Jewish Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJFS offices are located within the GJCC with a private entrance. GJCC provides facilities, membership access for evacuee families, and hosts events including the Chesed Dinner.
• Mid-TN Adoption CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with regional adoption coalition for resources and collaborative adoption services.
• TN Pride ChamberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting LGBTQ+ business community and inclusion initiatives.
• B'nai B'rith Maimonides Lodge #46minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Low-Vision Aid program that provides tools for seniors with failing eyesight to maintain independence.
• Opening Minds Through Art (OMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational evidence-based art program partnership for building bridges across age and cognitive barriers through art, matching trained facilitators with people living with dementia.
• The Temple (Temple Ohabei Shalom)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner hosting Golden Lunch Bunch program for older adults - twice monthly lunch gatherings with catered lunch, entertainment, and socialization.
• Akiva SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool providing education for Israeli children during respite program, with funding from The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville.
• Area Synagogues (Congregation Sherith Israel, Chabad Vanderbilt, West End Synagogue)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner synagogues provide religious programming, support for evacuees, Shabbat services at assisted living facilities, and Jewish Job Network connections.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• BetterHelp: Large online therapy platform connecting clients with licensed therapists virtually; competes with JFS counseling services on convenience, accessibility, and price, particularly for self-pay clients.

Direct peers

• Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles: Largest Jewish family service agency in the U.S., offering counseling, adoption, senior services, and case management; directly comparable to JFS Nashville as a Jewish-affiliated social services agency with the same program mix.
• Family & Children's Service (Nashville): Nashville-based social services agency offering counseling, senior services, and family support; directly comparable in geography and core programming, though secular rather than faith-affiliated.
• Jewish Family Services of Greater Dallas: Regional Jewish family service agency offering counseling, case management, senior services, and food/financial assistance; closely comparable programmatic scope to JFS Nashville in a different regional market.
• Jewish Family Service of San Diego: San Diego-based Jewish family service agency offering mental health, adoption, refugee services, and senior care with comparable comprehensive service mix and licensed clinician staffing.
• Jewish Family Service of Greater Orlando: Central Florida Jewish family service agency delivering counseling, adoption, food/financial assistance, and older adult programs; comparable mid-sized agency profile to JFS Nashville.
• Jewish Family and Children's Services (San Francisco Bay Area): Bay Area agency providing mental health counseling, adoption, senior services, and refugee resettlement with a comparable comprehensive social services portfolio and licensed clinical staffing model.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of Tennessee: Large faith-affiliated social services agency operating across Tennessee with counseling, food/financial assistance, adoption, and senior services; overlaps with JFS's programs but with significantly broader scale and geographic reach.

Others

• Jewish Federation of North America: National umbrella for Jewish federations including the one that funds JFS; not a direct competitor but an ecosystem participant and referral network affecting JFS's funding and visibility.

Regional players

• Mental Health Cooperative (Nashville): Middle Tennessee mental health provider offering counseling, case management, and crisis services; competes with JFS for counseling clients and referral partnerships in the same geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCunyX59W0I7LLpdpPs-_B3A/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/JewishFamilyServiceNashville
• Instagraminstagram.com/jfs.nashville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jfsnashville

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Services