KleinLife

We've been named a 2024 BEST OF JEWISH PHILADELPHIA WINNER in Senior Programming/Senior Center! The votes were cast amongst local community members and receiving this recognition is an honor. We strive every day to help ensure all of our older adults stay active mentally and physically, socialize, and live their very best lives at all of our locations! #bestofjewishphilly #jewishphilly #seniorcenter #community #communityvotes #support

A Special Message from our President & CEO, Andre Krug "Over the past few days almost 400 of our seniors came to KleinLife and its satellites to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. This celebration was a joint effort between KleinLife, JFCSPhilly’s NORC program, and Federation Housing, Inc. Unfortunately, during the celebration yesterday, Israel was under an Iranian rocket attack. This is the sad reality of the world we live in.?Our Rosh Hashanah prayers for peace in Israel, the U.S., and beyond aren't abstract; they are urgent and real. For 2,000 years, Jews lived without a homeland. The fact that we are alive today to witness the existence of the State of Israel is nothing short of a miracle. It is my honor to lead KleinLife, ensuring that our Jewish members remain connected to their traditions and to Israel. KleinLife’s Active Adult Life services are the lifeline for our most vulnerable senior members.?We are Philadelphia's largest senior services provider, serving over 3,100 seniors in our main building and satellite locations.?In Northeast Philadelphia, where the demographics are changing fast, KleinLife is the last major center where Jewish seniors can come together, celebrate our holidays, and hold onto their Jewish identity. Just look at our Rosh Hashanah celebration photos—this is what your support makes possible! As we face a world increasingly hostile to our people, we must redouble our efforts to care for one another! On behalf of KleinLife, I wish you and your loved ones a meaningful Rosh Hashanah. Together, we ensure that Jewish life and connection to Israel remain strong, even in these difficult times. L'Shanah Tova!" #kleinlife #kleinlifepa #roshhashanah #5785 #seniors #communitysupport #jewishlife #lshanahtova

A Special Message from our President & CEO, Andre Krug "As?Labor?Day approaches, I find it necessary to talk about the incredible people who make KleinLife what it is. We are a very small team, but we are a force to be reckoned with. Cohesive, driven, and deeply committed, our staff members are the heart and soul of this organization. Many of our staff are immigrants and refugees, hailing from Eastern Europe, Asia, and Central America. They came to this country because it’s the land of opportunity, and they’ve pulled themselves up by the bootstraps every single day, working with a relentless drive to realize the American dream—not just for themselves, but for their children and grandchildren. They embody the spirit of this country. Let’s not overlook something truly remarkable—by the very definition of minorities, our staff is 100% composed of individuals who identify as such. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a powerful reflection of who we are and the communities we serve. Our team mirrors the faces of the vulnerable seniors, immigrants, and refugees who rely on us. They understand the struggles because they’ve lived them. They know the challenges because they’ve overcome them. I also want to highlight an aspect of our operations that is often overlooked but is crucial to our sustainability and impact. In an industry where management overhead typically runs between 20-30% of total expenses,?KleinLife has consistently maintained an overhead rate below 8%.?This level of efficiency is almost unheard of among social service agencies and has been our "secret sauce" for the past 15 years. Our relentless focus on operational efficiency allows us to maximize the resources available for direct services, ensuring that we deliver the greatest possible impact to those we serve. During these difficult political times, it’s more important than ever to remember what this country is truly about: the opportunity for every person to advance, to feel accomplished, and to maintain their dignity, no matter where they came from or the circumstances they faced. Our staff exemplifies these values every day! I am incredibly proud of our staff. Their dedication, their passion, and their spirit deserve recognition—not just today, but every day. As we approach?Labor?Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate these exceptional individuals who work tirelessly to make a difference. Please join me in wishing our team a Happy?Labor?Day, and thank you for your continued support of the work we do together." #LaborDay

When you have community partners like ours, the dream of building a better future becomes a reality. The latest example has been shown through a Summer STEM initiative brought to us by The Franklin Institute. Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers worked hard to make this connection possible and made time for specialized #ScienceintheSummer training to teach our campers about aeronautical engineering, space, robotic engineering, and the use of robots in space. Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, KleinLife has resettled over 1,700 refugees, with hundreds of children attending our after-school and camp programs. The program with the Franklin Institute was specifically tailored for refugee children, most of whom came with their moms from Eastern Ukraine, where basic necessities like electricity and water are scarce. We strive to help refugee children experience childhood again. This initiative, resulting from a highly competitive grant awarded to only a few camps, will culminate in a visit to the Franklin Institute on August 5, promising an unforgettable educational experience for our young learners. We owe a heartfelt thank you to the Hess Foundation, the Marshall Family, the Simonetti Family, and all of the volunteers and donors who have made this possible. None of this would have been achievable without their generous contributions. A special thanks go to our dedicated staff, particularly Victoria Faykin and Zhanna Pugachev, whose unwavering efforts have been invaluable in providing these essential services. ? Community support continues to make a profound difference in the lives of these children. We invite you to be a part of this inspiring journey with us by reaching out at [email protected]. Together, we are helping them dream again.

We’re lucky to have great community partners like Starr Bus Charter and Tours! We thank them for helping our campers to and from the Philadelphia Zoo safely and cool on their air-conditioned buses.

It's officially time for the PA's Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, an initiative made possible through the generous support of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture where seniors receive vouchers to purchase up to $50 worth of fresh fruits & vegetables from local markets across the state. This initiative is a critical part of our efforts to enhance the health and well-being of the most vulnerable seniors in our community. Last week, we successfully distributed vouchers to over 1,000 seniors at our Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County locations! We also reopened our annual Farmers Market to ensure our community has convenient access to affordable produce. Every Friday through the Fall, this market not only serves our seniors but also benefits other local community members as we accept SFMNP vouchers, cash, SNAP/EBT cards, and Philly Food Bucks. Over 90% of the 35,000 individuals who use our facility live in households with an annual income below 200% of the poverty line, making fresh produce hard to afford. The impact of this program is significant, as it addresses the critical need for fresh produce in an area where such resources are limited. We all understand the importance of fruits and vegetables in a balanced diet, and this program is a step toward improving the nutritional health of our community. A special thank you to the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging and the Montgomery County, PA Agency on Aging for spearheading this program. Their leadership and support have been invaluable. We also recognize the crucial role of our staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure that all of the community members who came left with their vouchers. It should be noted that many of our clients do not speak English, and our bilingual staff helped to ensure smooth communication and service. We appreciate the teamwork efforts surrounding this distribution and the community we serve! Visit bit.ly/4cUmMlD for a short video with highlights of the program's success and its positive impact on our community.?

It's been two years since the first of many Ukrainian refugees came to our facility seeking help on how to establish a life in the US, especially for the sake of their children who desperately needed safety and stability. One of the first supporters of this program was the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. We thank them for their generosity in ensuring our efforts greatly impacted over 1,700 Ukrainian refugees. #kleinlife #kleinlifepa #GrowHope #jewishphilly #ukraine #ukrainian #refugees #UkrainianRefugees

On the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, our hearts are still with those that are affected by the conflict including Mariya, one of the first Ukrainian refugees that came to us seeking help for herself and her growing family. Thank you to ABC News for highlighting Mariya and the refugees who are figuring out what their life looks like in the US and how our program, led by Andre Krug and Victoria Faykin, has directly impacted the lives of over 1,700 individuals through essential services such as child care, document preparations, casework, ESL classes, emergency food, and clothing. https://bit.ly/4bSg7c0 #Ukraine #UkrainianRefugees #KleinLifePA #ABCNews #GrowHope #communityimpact

Being in a new year means we can learn to bring peace wherever we go ?? Community members, faculty and staff attended a light dinner followed by guest speaker, Mariya Keselman-Mekler, a creative arts therapist. Discussion revolved around living in and maintaining peaceful communities. Boni Fernandes Wozolek

We’re so proud of Mariya Keselman-Mekler as she helps lead this special event to help the community create peace within themselves and others at Penn State Abington on 1/29. ??