JFS Opens Renovated $11 Million New Campus

Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) officially opened its new campus on January 31 with a special dedication to Joan and Irwin Jacobs for their 20 years of championing the agency, and celebration for all of the capital campaign donors who made the “Joan & Irwin Jacobs Campus” possible.

The ceremony marked the completion of a four-year-long, $11 million project to bring together many of JFS’s employees, programs, and services into two neighboring buildings on Balboa Avenue.

“The Joan & Irwin Jacobs campus is intentionally designed as a reflection of our principles of being client-centered, promoting collaboration, and improving our ability to deliver life-changing services,” said JFS CEO Michael Hopkins. “The campus is designed to truly put clients first. We have positioned many of the services a client needs together in a positive, healing environment.”

In addition to private and collaborative office spaces, the new campus features a state-of-the-art, 1,800-square-foot industrial kitchen to produce roughly 80,000 hot kosher meals annually for low-income and elderly San Diegans; a client-choice food pantry, The Corner Market, that allows clients to “shop” for the food and hygiene items that best meet their family’s needs; and an outdoor play space and edible garden.

Mission Hills-based architects Safdie Rabines were tapped to redesign the two buildings that form the campus into light, airy spaces that improve the client experience, and include multiple open work spaces for staff to collaborate and develop strategies to meet client needs.

About Jewish Family Service
Since 1918, Jewish Family Service of San Diego has been a trusted community resource for individuals and families working to build better lives. Operating throughout San Diego County and the Coachella Valley, the agency’s integrated services are focused around three goals: Empower Individuals & Families to Move Toward Self-Sufficiency, Support Aging With Dignity, and Foster Community Connection & Engagement. Many people first turn to Jewish Family Service with a specific need, such as job coaching or transportation, and that first contact often leads to a wide range of services, including counseling, education, nutritious meals, social connection, and more. For the eighth consecutive year, JFS has earned a coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator that highlights the work of efficient, ethical and open charities. To get help, volunteer, or to learn how JFS empowers change in our community, visit www.jfssd.org.