Divorce Recovery, Inc. and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Southern Arizona (JFCS) have announced their merger to offer individuals and families of Southern Arizona the support, guidance, and resources needed while going through a divorce or separation. JFCS has acquired Divorce Recovery’s assets, resources, and curriculum, and the merged agencies will operate under the Board of Directors and CEO of JFCS.
For over 40 years, Divorce Recovery’s support groups have been helping local Tucsonans going through a divorce or separation. This Tucson based non-profit was created as a support group program in 1978, overseen by a former professor from the University of Arizona, Department of Family Studies. The first training of volunteers began in 1979 and these leaders then co-led the group. Shortly after that, Divorce Recovery saw the development and initiation of the Children of Divorce (now Children of Divorce and Changing Families) groups for children and parents in 1980. The structure of these groups evolved over the years, however, the same basic format has continued. Today, Divorce Recovery I Groups are the mainstay of the program. Divorce Recovery II groups and the Children of Divorce and Changing Families have since been added, as well as Education for Life and Financial First Aid.
“The merger with Divorce Recovery offers an exciting opportunity for JFCS to strengthen and expand our services,” explains Ken Goodman, Board Chair of JFCS, “And with the resources and administrative support provided by JFCS, we hope to expand the visibility, fundraising potential, and overall growth of Divorce Recovery.”
Craig Wunderlich, Board Chair of Divorce Recovery, also commented, “The Board of Directors and Volunteers of Divorce Recovery, Inc. are very excited to become a part of Jewish Family and Children’s Services. We see this as an excellent opportunity to expand and improve on the services we have been providing for the past 40 plus years. Our Board of Directors will continue to serve as an advisory council for JFCS and that will allow us to share our experience and make for a more seamless transition to a larger agency with some fresh perspectives. We thank the board and staff of JFCS for their patience and perseverance during this process.”
Divorce Recovery is unique in that it is run mostly by volunteers and the only program of its kind to offer these services for free to anyone in the community. Throughout the pandemic, Divorce Recovery has creatively come up with ways to ensure that individuals are getting the support they need. Divorce Recovery I (DRI) and Divorce Recovery II (DRII) support groups continue to be offered via Zoom. These are 8 and 10-week sessions that guide individuals through the divorce transition journey, where they share their challenges, losses, and grief in a safe, nurturing, and confidential place. They then take a deeper look into the relationship and a deeper look into themselves to gain insight and skills on the questions of, “who am I now, and where am I going?”
As a non-profit 501(c)(3), the continuation of this program has relied on foundation grants and donations from the community. A donation of $70 is requested for DRI and $75 for DRII, but no one is ever turned away due to the inability to pay.
Since 1941, JFCS of Southern Arizona has helped individuals and families in crisis, children and adults who have experienced trauma, people with disabilities, frail and elderly adults, and neighbors without basic necessities. Clients come from all age groups, economic backgrounds, and all beliefs. JFCS’s mission is to help people of any religion or ethnic origin meet their full potential by restoring their well-being, cultivating self-sufficiency, and strengthening family life. These core values align with the goals of Divorce Recovery, and by uniting these two non-profits, our community members will have access to quality care, resources, and a wealth of knowledge about not only divorce and separation, but the overall well-being of individuals, children, and families.
The merger of these agencies was official on April 8, 2021. The operations and staff of Divorce Recovery will be transferred to JFCS at 4301 E. 5th Street, Tucson, AZ 85711.
