Gesher Human Services held its annual Awards Night on Sept. 12 at the Community House in Birmingham, celebrating the achievements of staff, participants and outstanding contributors.
Janet Aronoff, one of the founders of Kadima (the predecessor mental health agency that joined with JVS Human Services in 2022 to form Gesher) was awarded Gesher’s highest honor, the 2024 Bridge Builder Award. Accepting her award, Aronoff explained that her pathway to philanthropy began because she wanted to “pay off the freedoms that I had that other people didn’t have” after reading about the atrocities others suffered during the Holocaust.
HarMoney, an interactive virtual program providing financial education which is offered by Gesher Human Services and made possible by a $50,000 grant from Huntington Bank, will offer an information session on Nov. 4.
Classes will begin on Nov. 11 and run for six weeks from noon to 1 p.m. On completion of the program, participants will be eligible for a payment of up to $2,500 which can be used toward paying off debt, housing assistance or even toward purchasing a home.
Everyone deserves a chance to work.
During October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, one non-profit organization is working to highlight employers who are giving individuals with disabilities the opportunity to do so.
“We strive for all individuals to have equal access to the labor market which is a right everyone deserves,” said Rene Dell, vice-president of vocational rehabilitation at Gesher Human Services, a nonprofit working to provide diverse populations in communities across Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties with the skills, support and equitable opportunities they need to succeed.
Craig Paul Nowak is the 2024 recipient of the Nancy Coumoundouros Distinguished Service to the Arts Award bestowed at the Farmington Area Arts Awards on Sept. 28.
Nowak is the program manager at the Creative Expressions Program at Gesher Human Services. The program serves people with mental health challenges and intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing a space for creative expression and growth.
“As an artist myself, I understand that the arts are more than just enrichment,” Nowak said. “They’re not merely painting or singing or writing or acting for enjoyment, but that’s part of what makes them so impactful. We enjoy them, and they often act as a doorway to profound personal purpose and supportive communities in ways that other pursuits often aren’t.”
Around half of job applicants are now using artificial intelligence (AI) to help them search for employment according to Forbes and Money so job seekers not using such tools may be hampering their chances of landing that perfect job. Gesher Human Services career and computer experts, seeing a need for learning the basics of AI for job searching in the metro Detroit community, are offering a series of 1.5-hour workshops this fall through December 2024.
Programs will be held at the nonprofit organization’s headquarters in Southfield (29699 Southfield Road, MI 48076) on Oct. 10, Nov. 21 and Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. All programs are free and suitable for beginners without prior AI experience; no registration is required.
Dementia-Friendly High Holiday Service Celebrating the Jewish New Year to be Held Oct. 6 in West Bloomfield!
Service is available free on Zoom for participants not able to travel.
The Dorothy and Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Program will be holding its award-winning, dementia-friendly service to celebrate the High Holidays at the Fleischman Residence chapel (6710 W. Maple Road in West Bloomfield) on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m.
This is the 8th year that the Brown program has hosted the Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre Service which lasts just one hour with many accommodations being made to ensure the experience is both enjoyable and as stress-free as possible, while still providing a meaningful High Holiday experience for families and their loved ones living with dementia. The service is free and open to the community and is also suitable for other adults who have physical restrictions which would make a traditional longer service uncomfortable; for example, rows are arranged with easy access to bathrooms and there is plenty of room for wheelchairs.
Purchasing a car is a major expense, and the costs don’t stop there: insurance, repairs and, of course, keeping the car in gas all take a toll on our budgets. According to AAA, the average cost of new car ownership is $9282 annually. Gesher Human Services has a free virtual workshop on September 27 to help navigate the care ownership process. Bre Teamer chats with Laltsha Cunningham, Financial Education Manager of Gesher Human Services, about some useful car tips and the free webinar.
“The Zussman Center offers a fresh space that our members love”. More than 100 people attended an open house on Aug. 8 for the new Lois and Milton Y. Zussman Center, operated by Gesher Human Services and designed for individuals with a serious mental health diagnosis.
Supporters of the center and board members, along with participants and families interested in finding out more about programming with their loved ones, visited the new 8,676-square-foot space located within the Vanguard Building (23800 W. 10 Mile Road, Southfield).
Gesher Human Services is hosting a marriage money masterplan virtual workshop that aims to promote financial harmony among Michigan couples.
The Marriage Money Masterplan: Free Virtual Workshop to Promote Financial Harmony Among Michigan Couples, Sept. 13!
With around one in four divorces due to finances, Gesher Human Services offers help to couples to manage their money, budget, save and invest together to reduce conflict.
Gesher Human Services, one of the largest human service agencies in metro Detroit which also provides financial education, will be offering a free webinar called The Marriage Money Masterplan at 1 p.m. on Friday Sept. 13. Approximately one in four marriages end because of conflict due to finances, according to the Jimenez Law Firm.