News

The JFM has always been more than just a workplace; as in many offices, your co-workers become like family. This past December, a cloud of heartbreak washed over our JFM family with the passing of one of its shining members, Jennifer Wood, after her year-long battle with cancer. 

From the moment she came to us in 2008, Jenn's warmth, loyalty, and dedication became engrained in the Foundation, shaping our work and culture. Her presence is felt in every department, every process, every corner of our database, and in every person.

Foundation CFO Ian Barnes tells a story of "literally skipping" to the car with optimism after his first meeting with Jenn. It is a story that is a testament to her impact from day one and would foreshadow the influence she would have on the JFM's success and, in turn, our entire Jewish community.

Her loss leaves a void that can never truly be filled. Despite that, her influence remains and continues to resonate in everything the Foundation can achieve for years to come.

To honour her memory, the Foundation is collaborating with Jenn's family to establish a scholarship in her name. Spearheaded by her husband, Larry, this scholarship will be a part of her lasting legacy. It will allow students who have obstacles in their path, financial or otherwise, to overcome them, further their education, and open doors to their future that may have otherwise been closed.

Jenn often reflected on the mentors who gave her the "kick in the pants" that helped shape her into the driven, successful person she was. Her family hopes this scholarship will do the same for a student who needs that extra push, just as she did. 

"We hope that this scholarship will help someone who has goals, works hard regardless of their grades, and just needs some help to get there," says Jenn's husband, Larry. "Someone who might be seen as an underdog, who doesn't have the same advantages as their peers, that is who Jenn would look out for."