Local Heroes To Be Honored by Gulf Coast JFCS
(CLEARWATER, FL – Friday, February 25, 2022) – Gulf Coast JFCS is honoring Chief Anthony Holloway and William and Sally Israel on Thursday, March 31 at the upcoming annual FACES of Inspiration celebration. This annual event is being Thursday, March 31st, at the Hilton Carillon Park in St. Petersburg. FACES of Inspiration recognizes individuals who overcome hardships and find the ability to thrive within our communities.
Anthony Holloway will receive this year’s Gulf Coast JFCS Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of a lifetime of commitment to community and behavioral health support. A trustee emeritus of Gulf Coast JFCS, Chief Holloway has dedicated his career to strengthening community relationships and communication and overall to innovation in more than policing, especially relating to responding to behavioral health-related intervention. Nearly a decade ago, Chief Holloway initiated requirements for all St. Petersburg Police Department Officers to become proficient in Trauma-Informed Care practices to prepare officers for more effective response to these types of crises calls.
More recently, Chief Holloway’s focus on behavioral health and dedication to building community ties took center stage both locally and internationally with the innovation of the Community Assistance and Life Liaison (CALL) program. The CALL program is one of the first in the nation to dedicate resources to community policing partnerships, by partnering with Gulf Coast JFCS to provide social services to non-emergency and non-violent service calls. Now in it’s second year, the mental health professionals of the CALL program have responded to more than 4,000 calls for service such as substance abuse, behavioral health crisis, and suicide intervention, truancy, and neighborhood disputes – calls that previously would have been handled by armed law enforcement personnel.
Chief Anthony Holloway and his wife Andra Todd Dreyfus are active members of Temple Ahavat Shalom in Palm Harbor.
William “Bill” and Sally Israel, Barbara G. Sterensis Distinguished Service Award honorees, are known by many as the name behind the Gulf Coast JFCS food pantry. Now Trustee Emeritus, Bill served on the board of directors and in other leadership roles for nearly four decades, and continues to co-chair the agency’s Jewish Family Services Advisory Council. A true partner, Sally has supported Gulf Coast JFCS by championing food drives and advocating for agency programs in her work with other community organizations across the Tampa Bay region. As a lasting tribute, Gulf Coast’s food pantry, which the couple endowed, bears their names. The food pantry serves more than 2,500 people from across Tampa Bay annually ensuring a continued ability to serve clients with food insecurity by providing food, gift cards, and household items to those in need.
They both remain active with the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tampa Bay and the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies.
Bill and Sally Israel are active members of Temple Beth-El of St. Petersburg.
While FACES of Inspiration will draw attention to the various types of life-enhancing assistance Gulf Coast JFCS provides across the spectrum of human service needs to all people, again this year, a special spotlight will be placed on supporting additional urgent care to our community’s Holocaust Survivors, where needed. f In partnership with the Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast and Tampa Federation, Gulf Coast JFCS aims to raise $150,000 to be matched by the Kavod-SHEF Initiative. These funds will help dozens of survivors gain the homecare, medical, dental, and transportation support needed to live safely and with dignity in their own homes.
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Whether attending FACES of Inspiration or not, you can make a valued contribution to this match gift fund.
To make your online donation, go to gcjfcs.org/faces#survivorfund and follow the prompts. Your contribution will go directly to the Holocaust Survivor Urgent Care Fund.
To make your offline donation, contact staff leadership at Gulf Coast JFCS, the Federation for Florida’s Gulf Coast, or Tampa JCCs and Federation and direct your contribution to the “GCJFCS Holocaust Survivor Program Urgent Care Fund.”
1. Gulf Coast JFCS:
– Sue Farley, VP for Development, 727-418-2787, susan.farley@gcfjcs.org
– Cindy Minetti, Sr Director, Jewish Family Services, 727-282-0391, cindy.minetti@gcjfcs.org
2. Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast: Maxine Kaufman, Executive Director, 727-333-3106, mkaufman@jewishgulfcoast.org
3. Tampa JCCs and Federation: Alissa Fischel, Chief Development & Engagement Officer, 813-769-4726, alissa.fischel@jewishtampa.com
Regular updates about the progress of the program will come from Gulf Coast JFCS and the Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
ABOUT GULF COAST JFCS: Gulf Coast JFCS (Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services) supports diverse individuals and families of all backgrounds through its numerous programs, across 40 Florida counties. Agency values are rooted in the Jewish tradition and include repairing the world, welcoming the stranger, peace, freedom, compassion, charity, respect, and truth. Learn more about Gulf Coast JFCS at www.gcjfcs.org.
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