Twelve years ago, Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) became aware of an epidemic brewing in our suburbs. Opiate addiction, related to prescription pain medicine and heroin, had reached unprecedented levels. In the fall of 2013, JFCS participated in a conference aimed at educating local teachers, parents, and physicians about this heartbreaking issue. The following year, JFCS was proud to sponsor Camden County’s Community Summit about the opiate and heroin crisis.
Inspired by these initial experiences, JFCS wanted to do even more. In 2014 the agency partnered with Gregg B. Wolfe, a longtime community member who had lost his beloved son, Justin, to a heroin overdose, to launch Right in Our Backyard, an outreach program aimed at preventing addiction and overdose among South Jersey youth.
Over the past decade, the program has evolved to maintain its relevance. Now known as One Step at a Time, it highlights a wide range of substances – including alcohol and marijuana, vaping, prescription drugs, heroin, and fentanyl – through an engaging multimedia presentation. JFCS also offers a parent presentation that shares signs and symptoms of substance misuse, offers guidance on how to approach the topic with kids, and provides ways to speak with their child they already suspect a problem.
Since the program’s inception, JFCS has reached 9,797 individuals through 96 presentations, and is currently building a calendar for the 2024 – 25 school year. Thanks to ongoing support and guidance from Gregg Wolfe, as well as grant funding from the Camden County Board of Commissioners and the Raymond & Gertrude R. Saltzman Foundation, JFCS continues to offer One Step at a Time at no charge to schools, houses of worship, municipal alliances, and community organizations. The goal endures: keeping South Jersey’s youth healthy and safe and reducing the number of overdose deaths.
To celebrate this significant milestone, JFCS is bringing Freedom Song to our South Jersey community this fall. This captivating musical theater production was created by Beit T’Shuvah, a California-based addiction treatment facility. The story examines the impact of addiction on a Jewish family while celebrating their strength to accept challenges and overcome shame and fear. This performance will offer an important opportunity for our community to speak openly about an often-stigmatized topic. Freedom Song will take place on Tuesday, November 12 at 6:30pm, as part of the Katz JCC’s annual Festival of Arts, Books and Culture. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to attend alongside their teens and tweens. This presentation has been sponsored by Gregg B. Wolfe, in memory of son Justin Wolfe, and The Jewish Community Foundation. Stay tuned for ticket prices and registration information!
Since the program’s inception, JFCS has reached 9,797 individuals through 96 presentations. We are currently building a calendar for the 2024 – 2025 school year!
