The annual fundraising dinner put on by the Jewish Family & Career Services (JF&CS) of Atlanta is raising funds for a local independent living program.
JF&CS will host the Tasting at the Stave Room on May 4 from 7 to 10 p.m.
The evening will consist of curated small plates, a wine tasting and a silent auction.
The event serves as a critical source of support for the Zimmerman-Horowitz Independent Living Program (Z-H ILP).
“This year, we want to not only raise money for the current year but also for the budget in the coming year,” said program organizer Pearlann Horowitz. “Third and equally important is to be able to put money into an endowment that will continue to grow and perpetuate itself for all the future needs.”
Z-H ILP is a supportive living program that serves individuals 18-and-older who are living with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The program is open to everyone, regardless of race or religion, and provides clients with residential housing and individualized support. The client’s support can range from case management to 24/7 direct professional care.
“This population is aging, and they’re going to have a lot of the same needs that people would have in an assisted living home,” said Horowitz.
Z-H ILP hosts four clients per home, allowing the individuals to live as independently as possible and hold meaningful employment.
An information session about Z-H ILP will be held at JF&CS’s Tasting event.
The May 4 event will also celebrate the legacy of Jerry Horowitz.
“Jerry was in many ways a giant in our community. It means so much to celebrate his legacy,” said honorary chair of the Tasting event, Caren Merlin.
A community philanthropist and visionary, Jerry passed in 2022. He and his wife, Pearlann, launched and endowed the Z-H ILP in 1999.
The couple’s daughter Michelle lives with developmental disabilities, which spurred decades of advocacy from the family.
In 2010, Jerry received the Greater Atlanta Jewish Federation’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
“We wanted inclusion,” said Horowitz. “There’s often focus on what (people with disabilities) can’t do, but we wanted to focus on what they can do. We wanted them to be able to come together for events, to go to baseball games, the theater, entertain their families, etc. Many of them are voters and learn which candidates are supporting important services and issues that would positively impact their lives for the better.”
The Horowitz were instrumental in creating the Tasting event and have been at the helm of organizing the event for decades.
The Stave Room is located at 199 Armour Dr NE in Atlanta. For more information about the event, click here.