• 1945 St. Petersburg Jewish Community Council was established.
• 1955 Jewish Community Council approves building a Jewish Community Center (JCC) to be led by a social worker.

St. Petersburg Jewish Community Council was established.

1961 Jewish Community Center opens its doors on Elbow Lane in St. Petersburg, offering counseling, emergency aid and protective care for the “very young and the aged.”

A fire destroyed the main building of the Jewish Community Center. Arson was suspected. Well-known local architect, Sanford Goldman, drew up plans for the new Jewish Community Center.

Rapid Jewish community growth and human service needs spur formation of Gulf Coast Jewish Family Service, sponsored by the Jewish Welfare Fund of Clearwater, Jewish Welfare Federation of Tampa, and the Jewish Community Council of St. Petersburg.

Sylvia Gail was appointed Executive Director and Caseworker of the new Gulf Coast Jewish Family Service.

Gulf Coast Jewish Family Service was formally incorporated at 8167 Elbow Lane, the location of the Jewish Community Center.

• Individual and family counseling
• Services for children with behavioral issues
• Vocational career resources
• Elder services
• Immigration assistance

 

In response to growing needs, Gulf Coast Jewish Family Service begins programs for senior housing and homemaking, as well as additional counseling support.

Gulf Coast Jewish Family Service takes on Congregate Lunch Program from Jewish Federation, serving 250 meals weeks.

Michael Bernstein hired as the Executive Director of Gulf Coast Jewish Family to serve the approximately 10,000 Jewish people living in Pinellas County.

As Gulf Coast Jewish Family Service began serving clientele beyond the Jewish Community, funding funding now included various governmental and non-governmental organizations. The Association of Jewish Children and Family Services identifies Tampa Bay as the third fastest growing Jewish community per capita in the country.

Funding expands with support from United Way, local government and private sources.

Murray Jacobs spearheads efforts to secure housing facilities for institutionalized seniors through a new residential program, Geriatric Residential Treatment System (GRTS). The first facility on 66th Street opened and is named in Murray Jacobs’ honor.

Adopt-a-Grandchild program launched with 50 children enrolled.

Three additional Geriatric Residential Treatment System facilities open, soon at 100% occupancy, as a compassionate alternative to psychiatric institutionalization.

Program launched, providing homemaking and essential services for disabled adults ages 18-59.

The State Legislature funds the Group Home Alternative Living Plan (GHALP), an alternative to nursing home care, launched in the old Hacienda Hotel. Furnishings were donated by Maurice & Thelma Rothman, founders of Kane's Furniture, and Charles Rutenberg from his recently purchased Belleview Biltmore Hotel.

The Jewish Russian Resettlement Program begins with resettlement of three families

Deepening involvement in child welfare through Project Growing Together, serving children ages 4-8 who live in stressed home situations that warrant state intervention.

Gulf Coast JFCS is the first agency in Pinellas County to offer AIDS Services in Tampa Bay which had among the highest incidence of AIDS in Florida.

Therapeutic Foster Home program begins for seniors not able to live independently. Alternative Family Program begins as an effective living option for diverting clients from state hospitals, to be cared for by host family.

In July of 1992, the organization changed its name to Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Mental Health Services, doing business as, DBA, “Gulf Coast Community Cares” for all public programs and “Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services” for programs focused on the Jewish community.

After years of hosting various intermittent fundraising events like the Man of the Year event (later called Person of the Year), Gulf Coast began hosting the “Celebrity Celebration” in 1994, which became one of Tampa Bay’s most popular and successful fundraising galas. The first event honored Annette Raymund, Debbie and Brent Sembler, and Jackie Jacobs; the theme was "Russian Treasures" and included a visit to the Treasures of the Czars exhibit at the Florida International Museum.

Program begins, the brainchild of Myron Mensh, assisted by Brent Sembler’s efforts in Tallahassee.

Violence Prevention and Intervention and Supported Employment programs begin.

Egret Housing, a HUD development with 7 apartments in New Port Richey, opens to support low-income adults with disabilities. Myrtle Oaks, a HUD development comprising 100 apartments for low-income seniors, opens in Tampa.

Mentoring program for Jewish children launches.

Program was initiated with $37k grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference).

Programs:

• 2001 - Florida Center for Survivors of Torture (FCST)
• 2001 - Child Welfare
• 2004 - Woman to Woman
• 2005 - Therapeutic Behavioral On-Site Services
• 2005 - Refugee Family Violence Intervention Program
• 2006 - Gang Prevention / Ex-Offender Re-entry
• 2006 - Young Adult Transition Program
• 2006 - Vocational Rehabilitation Program
• 2007 - Healthy Youth Transitions
• 2007 - Community Care for the Elderly

Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program referenced by White House as a national model. The mission statement updated to include "serving all people in need."

Gulf Coast selected by the state to begin work in child welfare programs with the beginning of the "community-based care" model.

Gulf Coast began to expand outside of the Tampa Bay area in the 2000s, most significantly with programming in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. In 2003, a facility for seniors with mental illness opened in Broward, and by 2005 many of the programs that Gulf Coast operated in the Tampa Bay area had been implemented in South Florida, including the Alternative Family Program, older adult crisis support team, the Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program, and the new Florida Center for Survivors of Torture.

Hacienda Home is sold and funds used to purchase properties for Adele Gilbert and Darlington Residential Treatment facilities.

Groundbreaking for Icot Headquarters expansion, named in honor of Congressman C.W. Bill Young, who secured government funds to complete construction.

Safe At Home program launched to provide intensive support services to allow at-risk children to live and remain safely at home.

2010 was a year full of change for Gulf Coast.

Board member Jay Miller recalls, “There was a period of instability in the agency’s leadership. What’s remarkable is that despite that, the agency continued to do its work and continued to receive support from its funders. The agency and employees continued to do good work and deliver services, and the board stepped up.”

• 2010 - CEO Ray Gadd
• 2014 - CEO Rochelle Tatrai-Ray
• 2015 - CEO Eric Feder (Interim)
• 2016 - CEO Sandra Braham

FACES

In order to shine a light on the many different aspects of Gulf Coast’s work, the FACES Gala was launched.

Ray Gadd serves in CEO role for 3 years.

In 2012, a Jewish Community Survey provided critical insight into the needs of the Jewish community resulting in three programs:

• Senior Care Connect
• Family Support Services
• Yad B'Yad

Rochelle Tatrai-Ray promoted from COO to CEO, tragically dies months later.

Two additional innovative programs, Kinship and Family Reunification Services, launched to keep children in safe, healthy homes.

Gulf Coast Cares was created for endowments, buildings, and other assets, distinct from the operations of Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services.

William and Sally Israel Food Pantry was established through the couple’s generous endowment gift.

Dr. Sandra E. Braham recruited to serve as President and CEO.

Demographic survey of Jewish Community Needs completed with three needs identified: public relations and greater visibility of agencies and services, companionship and in-home care for seniors, services for children with special needs.

Good Afternoon Friends and Amigos after-school program launched in Hillsborough County, funded by the Children’s Board.

Heart Gallery of Pinellas and Pasco County, a child adoption program for the hardest to place children in foster care, is acquired by Gulf Coast JFCS.

Gulf Coast has always been responsive in adapting to the community's needs.

This was perhaps never more important than in the current decade, which began with a world-wide pandemic and a racial reckoning long in the making. Gulf Coast would nimbly adapt to both.

• Changing with changing times, we become Gulf Coast JFCS.
• CHATS Program (Companionship, Help and Access by Telephone to Seniors), launches just ahead of the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Community Assistance and Life Liaison (CALL Program) launched in partnership with St. Pete Police Department, later awarded NFL Inspire Change Award for social justice. KAVOD-SHEF partners with Gulf Coast JFCS and area Jewish Federations to increase financial support and services for more than 250 Holocaust survivors.

Additional Programs:

• 2021 - Good Afternoon Friends and Amigos (GAFA)
• 2021 - Padres de Crianza
• 2022 - Quick Response Team (QRT)
• 2022 - Teen Parent Engagement Program (TPEP)

Tampa Bay Job Links, a program to help job seekers find employment and/or transition to new careers, is acquired by Gulf Coast JFCS.

Florida Legislature expands Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program (NCPEP) statewide.

Additional programs:

• 2022 - Quick Response Team (QRT)
• 2022 - Teen Parent Engagement Program (TPEP)

• Padres de Crianza launched to support Hispanic families who are providing kinship care for child relatives, funded by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County.
• Teen Parent Engagement Program launched in Pinellas County funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board.
• Quick Response Team launched in Pinellas County in response to the opioid epidemic.

• Launched Florida Center for Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat in Tampa Bay and Miami.
• Children First Innovation Fund was established to shorten adoption wait times for children in foster care.
• Gulf Coast JFCS becomes the lead agency for the statewide Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program in partnership with FloridaCommerce.