Celebrating 150 Years – A Letter from our Board Chair and CEO

2025 has been an unparalleled year of energy leading up to our very memorable 150th anniversary event this past August. Immersed in a review of our 150 incredible years, it is difficult to express the degree of pride and gratitude held for the many community members who have helped our agency reach this special milestone.

While many photographs, videos, newspaper clippings and personal stories have been captured over the years in files, drawers and computers, it has been the work of the past year to ensure this documentation of our history is preserved for generations to come.

Installation of the new JFSA History Exhibit, housed within our Chagrin Blvd headquarters, is now complete. Highlighting JFSA’s history since 1875, the exhibit has become a way for us to honor so many of the staff, donors, clients and community members who have been part of our remarkable journey. A profound thank you to our long-time colleagues and creative partners Robin Ott and Anne Rosenberg who brought this very specific vision to life.

To close out our milestone year, we look towards our future with the launch of the JFSA Foundation. The Foundation will protect the assets of our organization and help ensure that individuals will receive needed services far into the future. We celebrate this important milestone and thank our community of donors who helped pave the way to the Foundation’s creation.

Patty Rubin, Board Chair
Susan Bichsel, PhD, President and CEO