Ronstadt Brothers, Vance Gilbert hit the stage in Tucson for a good cause

Supporters of Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Southern Arizona hope that music to the ears will translate into tikkun olam, the Jewish concept for “healing for the world.”

As a means to that end, the nonprofit organization will present a fundraising concert featuring Tucson favorites, The Ronstadt Brothers, along with Vance Gilbert, the great American folksinger and songwriter, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.

The concert will build on momentum from the sold-out 2022 JFCS concert headlined by the Rondstadt family and the Ronstadt Brothers. The Brothers — Michael Gilbert Ronstadt and Peter (Petie) Dalton Ronstadt — are Linda’s nephews and will make an encore appearance honoring five generations of Ronstadt family musical traditions. Cellist Michael and guitarist Petie will explore a fresh take on the family legacy of Southwestern and Mexican songs with innovative original material.

“When the Ronstadt Brothers performed last year they were incredible. Michael and Petie are a duo that really put a smile on your face, and Vance Gilbert was the most popular performer at the Tucson Folk Festival. People just loved him and said he was able to make you feel like you were part of his act when he was playing. I was told he was fantastic,” said Ken Goodman, chairman of the board of directors for JFCS.

Gilbert is renowned as a versatile performer and songwriter with a 30-year career in contemporary folk and Americana. He has recorded 14 albums and opened for artists such as Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, The Milk Carton Kids, Southside Johnny and many more.

Ultimately, Goodman and the board of directors believe the concert serves several purposes: It will make people happy, while also raising funds for a wide range of JFCS programs, including access to mental health services for people of all ages; refugee resettlement; care management for vulnerable Jewish older adults; assistance for people facing housing insecurity and financial crises; and more.

Equally importantly, it seeks to promote awareness about JFCS and the fact that it provides services to people of all backgrounds and cultures.

“We have ‘Jewish’ in our name because that is how we were founded, but more than 70% of our clients are not Jewish. That gives us the moniker of helping everyone. We have been doing educational outreach so people know that you don’t have to be Jewish to be helped by JFCS,” said Goodman, who has been a member of the board for the nonprofit for more than eight years.

Goodman said JFCS efforts are near and dear to his heart, particularly services in counseling and mental health care.

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“JFCS does so many great things that help people get through the daily grind of depression and anxiety and other mental health issues that affect everyday life. We have a tremendous trauma informed department that helps people who have been abused and have complications related to that,” he said.

Goodman also supports the JFCS refugee resettlement program that he helped to develop. Funded through the U.S. State Department and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the program helps to resettle hundreds of refugees of all backgrounds from around the world each year.

“These refugees have come to this country for a better life. That is one legacy that I feel I was able to contribute to as board chair and our role in healing the world,” said Goodman.

In all, about 2,500 individuals utilize JFCS programs each year; many of these clients access multiple programs, so the actual number of services that JFCS provides in the community are in the tens of thousands annually. In calendar year 2022, more than 22,000 hours of counseling were provided to clients.

The fact that the nonprofit has quadrupled in size over the past nine years is testament to the vital role it plays in the community, according to Carlos Hernandez, president and CEO.

“There are lots of agencies like ours doing amazing work in the community, but quite honestly, there is more despair than there are agencies to fill the gaps and address the level of despair and need. Our programs provide vital services to people who have been marginalized and oppressed and don’t have the means to make ends meet,” said Hernandez.

He emphasized that with an 80-year history, JFCS is actually the first organization of its kind in Tucson.

“While the event at the Fox is an important fundraiser for us, we also see it as an opportunity to share with the community information about our organization’s rich history in Southern Arizona,” said Hernandez.