JEWISH FERTILITY FOUNDATION INC

JFF’s Three-Pronged Approach to Helping Jewish People Create Families
JFF’s three-pronged approach – financial assistance, emotional support, and education – addresses the needs of the average Jewish person who is dealing with infertility. This includes financial constraints due to the high cost of fertility treatments, feeling alone in the fertility journey, the emotional stresses of failed attempts at conception and failed pregnancies, and grappling with the expectations of family, significant others, and the Jewish community at large. Some people may rely on one aspect of JFF’s support more than others, or their needs may shift over time. Some even take advantage of post-infertility JFF connections, such as support groups or assistance with brises or baby namings (which is especially helpful for those parents who are not members of synagogues). By providing supports for multiple aspects of the fertility process, JFF becomes a trusted partner and guide.

A Bold Approach to Accessing New Points of Jewish Life and Building Community
Infertility should not carry the emotional burden and pervasive taboo that it carries in the Jewish community. JFF has taken bold steps to change the narrative and ensure that the Jewish community is a welcoming and knowledgeable environment for those who struggle with infertility. JFF’s supports, programs, and partnerships provide a gateway to Jewish life, enabling participants to forge connections that will play out over months and years through Shabbat dinners, synagogue memberships, JCC programs, Jewish preschools and camps, and other venues that bring Jewish families together. Through JFF, we have the opportunity to respond to that need with a Jewish resource. Just as Honeymoon-Israel brings young Jewish couples into the Jewish community and the JCC Early Childhood Schools and Day Schools bring young Jewish families into the Jewish community, JFF provides another entree into our Jewish community at a critical inflection point. By supporting those facing medical infertility, emotionally and financially, we continue our important work of (literally) building vibrant, strong, and engaged Jews. And by educating our community leaders on the topic of infertility, we create new pathways to combat the stigma and shame of infertility. Through careful, strategic growth, and a model that ensures local sustainability, JFF is poised to expand its national presence, change Jewish culture, and help bring more Jewish children into the world.

JFF’s Three-Pronged Approach to Helping Jewish People Create Families

I. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: JFF offers grants of $1,000 - $15,000 for fertility treatments. Grants are awarded by an application process, with JFF’s Medical Advisory Council reviewing applications and determining the best candidates for successful treatment, and a Financial Qualifications Council helping determine grant amounts based on an objective set of financial criteria. JFF also arranges 20% discounts at participating fertility clinics (which are carefully vetted before acceptance to the JFF network) and facilitates interest-free loans from the local cities’ Hebrew Free Loan program. Loans to help cover the costs of diagnostic tests are also made available to those who do not receive grants. Between the grants, the discounts, and loans, most JFF grantees receive support worth at least $15,000-20,000.

II. EMOTIONAL SUPPORT: Infertility can be emotionally-draining and socially-isolating. JFF’s provides confidential, caring emotional support through two signature initiatives:
Fertility Buddies - This peer support program matches new participants with individuals who already have been through the infertility process. “Veteran” Fertility Buddies take part in training with JFF social workers (including topics like boundary setting and listening skills) and commit to participating in the Fertility Buddies program for at least a year. They practice “relationship-based support,” consistently showing up for their Fertility Buddies and providing the freedom and space for them to process their experiences in a non-judgmental environment. By serving as Fertility Buddies, the veterans support their own healing process.

Support Groups - JFF social workers lead in-person support groups in Atlanta and Cincinnati and virtual support groups during COVID-19 via HIPPA Compliant, private telemental health groups. Support group topics include primary infertility, secondary infertility, moms after infertility, couples facing infertility, pregnant after infertility, mothers of donor-conceived children, and mo

STAFFING MODEL:
The success of our organization has largely been a result of our paid professional staff. JFF’s current staff includes the CEO (is in charge of the exploratory committees), a part-time CFO, a National Program Director (who trains and supervised the City Managers and Advisory Councils), 2 part-time City Managers (Atlanta & Cincinnati), a part-time Lead Social Worker (who manages and liaises with two social work interns), a very part-time Development Associate, and infertility therapists who lead various support groups. The JFF Board of Directors has legal and fiduciary responsibility for the organization and includes people with expertise in law, accounting, fundraising, human resources, and other key fields. The Board is currently undergoing a transition from a Founders Board to a National Governance and Fundraising Board. The Board of Directors has four active committees: Human Resources, Governance, and Nominating, Finance and Development. JFF’s Medical Advisory Council (made up of reproductive endocrinologists from all partnering fertility clinics) and the Financial Qualifications Council (made up of accountants and people with financial expertise) operates independently of the Board of Directors; they review applications for JFF grants and determine the best candidates for infertility treatment, in order to disburse JFF fertility grants. JFF also relies on the expertise of its Jewish Professional Council, composed of Rabbis, Jewish educators, and others who help ensure that JFF programs remain grounded in Jewish values.

JFF’s TRACK RECORD (as of 12.23.21):
101 fertility grants valued at $915,690.00 grants, loans, and clinic discounts.
78 babies born to those receiving emotional and/or financial support.
48 babies on the way.
150 + Educational Events with 1,000+ attendees
150 + Fertility Buddies
600 + Support Group Attendees
9 Partner Fertility Clinics - including Shady Grove Fertility (Atlanta)
4 offices: JFF-Atlanta (2015), JFF-Cincinnati (2019) , JFF- Birmingham (2021), JFF-Tampa (2021)
Over 2.65 million dollars fundraised for JFF. Notable foundation partners include The Marcus Foundation, The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati, The Zalik Foundation, The Natan Fund, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.
Staff: CEO, CFO, National Program Director, Local City Managers, Development Director, Development Associate, Social Worker, Therapists, and Graduate School Social Work Interns.