Our Story

At the Heart of JFSVI

Jewish Family Services of Vancouver Island was started as a grassroots organization in the mid-1990s. Before it officially became a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency in 1996, it was called the Jewish Assistance Association.  

Our organization, as we know it today, was established by a small, dedicated group of people who cared about others and who wanted to make life better for everyone in their community.  

The Cummings Program, which assists Holocaust survivors with daily care, was added as a key program in 2014.  The program came to be when Raisa Balagar, (obm)* a Holocaust survivor, moved to our community and discovered she was eligible for services through Cummings.

Former board member Michael Friedman, (obm)* worked with Cummings to establish the program. Since then it has helped Holocaust survivors living on Vancouver Island to find recompense and financial support.

That same year, Fiona Prince started the Thrifty Foods Subsidy Program, a service we are still using today.

Our organization has grown over the years, but we have also had our share of growing pains.  Only five years ago, JFSVI was on the brink of closing its doors for good.  However, a push to get back on track by past president Beverly Mersen and many hours of volunteer efforts later, JFSVI was brought back to life. 

 Today, due to the continued hard work of our volunteers, JFSVI is operating in full swing.  

Our board members may not get paid to do the work, but they find the real reward is in seeing how much the lives of JFSVI clients improve after they reach out to us. 

We have a passion for making a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve.  At the heart of our organization is the desire to do good and to assist our most vulnerable populations.

* (obm) of blessed memory