MINNEAPOLIS — The Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minneapolis, or JFCS, has been around since 1910.
"We help people to find jobs, we help people with mental health, we help people to stabilize their families, we help older adults. We have thirty programs and services meant to reach the needs of people from birth to death," says JFCS of Minneapolis CEO Judy Halper.
One of the services they offer is their annual mental health conference, which is in its 20th year now. The conference was created after the death of Barbara Schneider, who was shot by police in the midst of a mental health crisis.
"There became this desire to really do something in a really big way intended to raise up people’s perceptions of mental illness and to offer support to family members who support people with mental illness and to just raise everyone’s education, sensitivity, understanding," Halper says.
This year's free event will be virtual on Sunday, October 18th and will feature a number of breakout sessions. The day will begin with a keynote conversation between KARE 11's Bryan Piatt and Jana Shortal. It's open to everyone and you can learn more and register here.
"It attracts people from all walks of life," Halper says. "Honestly it’s a healing event, it’s a celebration event."