Jordan Golin and JFCS Stand Steadfast as a Community Safety Net in Uncertain Times

Dr. Golin’s journey with JFCS began long before he assumed the role of CEO. A licensed psychologist, he holds degrees from the University of Florida, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His early career at JFCS, starting in 2001, saw him spearheading clinical services, elder care initiatives, and crisis response programs. He played a pivotal role in developing AgeWell Pittsburgh, a collaborative effort that provides integrated support for older adults. Later, as Chief Operating Officer from 2014-2016, he managed strategic planning and grant oversight, securing crucial funding to fuel JFCS’s expansion.

Under Dr. Golin’s leadership, JFCS has evolved from a modest organization into a robust agency with over 150 staff members, three office sites, and an extensive range of outreach programs. His unwavering commitment to adaptability and community-centered solutions has allowed JFCS to respond to Pittsburgh’s ever-changing social landscape.

While JFCS was initially founded in 1937 to aid Jewish refugees, the organization has significantly expanded its mission. Today, it serves individuals from all backgrounds, offering essential services such as food assistance, career coaching, legal aid for immigrants, guardianship services, and mental health counseling.

Among the programs Dr. Golin is most proud of is UpStreet Pittsburgh, a teen mental health initiative launched during the pandemic. Originally a virtual support network, UpStreet has evolved into a hybrid model, providing both in-person and online mental health resources. JFCS also runs specialized support groups for immigrants and refugees, ensuring culturally competent care for vulnerable communities.

One of JFCS’s most impactful programs was developed nearly a decade ago in response to a surge in the Bhutanese refugee population in Pittsburgh. Faced with a troubling rise in suicide rates among Bhutanese refugees, JFCS worked with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services to create a culturally sensitive support model. By training community members in Mental Health First Aid and equipping them to facilitate groups in native languages, JFCS helped foster a sense of belonging and emotional support for new arrivals. These groups have since become a cornerstone of the refugee integration process in Pittsburgh.

JFCS has a long history of stepping up in times of crisis. During the collapse of Pittsburgh’s steel industry in the 1980s, the organization pivoted to provide employment assistance and economic support. Following the tragic 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, Dr. Golin and his team mobilized mental health resources for the affected community, offering crucial support in a time of profound grief.

More recently, JFCS has faced significant challenges due to shifts in federal policy. In January 2025, a sudden freeze on refugee resettlement funding threatened to halt critical services. In response, JFCS convened 18 local nonprofits serving immigrants to strategize on adapting to shifting support systems, addressing emerging needs, and ensuring immigrants aren’t left behind. They aim to counter negativity with real stories and data highlighting immigration’s vital role in the community.

Last year JFCS resettled 330 refugees and supported several thousand immigrants.

JFCS also spearheads Immigrant Services and Connections (ISAC), a multi-agency partnership established in 2014 and funded by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. ISAC collaborates with partners including Casa San Jose, Literacy Pittsburgh, Family and Immigrant Connections of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit,South Hills Interfaith Movement, Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation Together, they connect immigrants and refugees in Allegheny County to essential resources, using a shared database to track services and identify barriers. This data informs county decisions on immigrant services and policies.

“We knew that there would be a decrease in refugees being resettled in the U.S. like what happened during the first Trump administration. We didn't expect that he would immediately shut the door entirely–100%–and not allow any new refugees to enter,” Dr. Golin said. “That was a shock, but what was even more shocking was that the funding was cut off for the refugees who were in the very vulnerable, very intense 90-day period after their arrival.”

Despite the financial strain, Dr. Golin and his team made the ethical decision to continue supporting refugee clients, many of whom had just arrived in the U.S. “We've never seen this happen before. The U.S. refugee resettlement program began in the 1980s and has always been a bipartisan program, the gold standard and the most heavily monitored pathway for immigrants to enter our country. For the funding for people who the U.S. government brought here to be cut off is incredibly challenging.”

“We refuse to abandon the people who have put their trust in us,” Dr. Golin said. “It is immoral and unethical to turn our backs on those in need simply because funding has been cut.”

In addition to the impact on clients, JFCS staff, some of whom are new immigrants themselves, are also being impacted.

“There's been so much anti-immigrant rhetoric. We have staff who are here with legal status, who are walking around town with their passports in their pockets so that they can prove they have a right to be here,” Dr. Golin said. “They're afraid of being detained just because of how they look or how they sound.”

“We have many immigrants in Pittsburgh who have come here in the past decade, who we welcome with open arms because we're so concerned about population loss in our region, and immigrants have been the one shining spot that's prevented us from losing more population than we already have. And now they feel unwanted, they feel unwelcome, they feel confused, and they're really worried about the future and looking to us for some sort of reassurance, which is increasingly hard to give.”

JFCS relies on government funding, private donations, and local partnerships to sustain its work. Community members can support the organization by volunteering, advocating for immigrant rights, and donating to ensure essential programs remain operational. Supporting immigrant-owned businesses is another meaningful way to help newcomers build new lives in Pittsburgh.

In a world where uncertainty can upend lives overnight, JFCS remains a pillar of stability. Under Dr. Golin’s leadership, the agency continues to embody the values of compassion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to human dignity, proving that communities are strongest when they stand together. He said it is able to continue its work due to the generosity of the foundation community and local government.

In response to the current upheaval being experienced by immigrant neighbors, Dr. Golin suggests to speak up and let your neighbors know they’re wanted and that you care and support local businesses owned by immigrants and refugees. Community members can also contact local, state, and federal officials to advocate for policies that support refugee resettlement and services for immigrants. JHF provides annual grant funding to JFCS to support their services, including $375,000 passed through the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh annually for the past three years and total funding of over $10 million since the Foundation was established in 1990.

“The work that we do has been made possible by the support of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation,” Dr. Golin said, highlighting JHF’s support of UpStreet from its early stages and onward. “JHF has helped to keep some of the issues that we care about high on the community's radar, and whether it's financial support or whether it's publicity around these issues, that's really important.”