Jewish Family Service of Lancaster will recognize Isabel Castillo and Randi Jacobson at its annual open board meeting for their respective social justice and volunteer work. The virtual meeting is open to the public and will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 14. Lancaster Commissioner Alice Yoder will address the participants at the meeting, which will also serve as a celebration of the organization's 30th anniversary. For information on how to attend, visit https://jfslancaster.org/annualmeeting.

Castillo will be presented with the Rhea and Phil Starr Social Justice Award. An activist, organizer, and immigrant from Mexico, Castillo helped organize sit-ins, rallies, and other efforts with the National Immigrant Youth Alliance to try to get the DREAM Act passed and to change the living conditions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Residing now in Lancaster, she uses her dedication to justice to support the mission of eliminating racism and empowering women as the director of the Center for Racial and Gender Equity at YWCA Lancaster. After 30 years of living in the U.S., Castillo continues to work for a world where communities are empowered to make decisions in society and to speak for themselves. She believes in restorative justice. Castillo holds a Bachelor of Social Work and master's degree in conflict transformation from Eastern Mennonite University.

The Rhea and Phil Starr Award is named in honor of longtime county residents Rhea Starr and the late Phil Starr, who worked to ensure individuals and groups were treated fairly and shared equally in the benefits of society, according to the JFS website.

Jacobson will be honored with the Jean Feldstein Volunteer of the Year Award, which recognizes a person who embodies outstanding volunteerism in his or her daily life. The award is named for the late Jean Feldstein, who was a member of the JFS board and served in many volunteer capacities in the community. A native of Massapequa, N.Y., Jacobson graduated from SUNY Binghamton with a bachelor's degree in management and from Cornell University with a master's degree in industrial and labor relations. She began her professional career as an employee relations supervisor for Alcoa in Lancaster in 1981. She met her husband, Bill, in 1983. Randi and Bill have two children and are retired, having sold their optometric practice, Jacobson Eyecare, in 2022.

Volunteerism has been an important part of Randi's life. She is the past president of the local chapter of Women's American ORT, Women of Shaarai Shomayim, and Congregation Shaarai Shomayim. She is a member of Chavrai Zamir, Shaarai's volunteer choir, and fills in for both Rabbi Paskoff and cantorial soloist Steve Dropkin when needed. She is often called on for projects that involve cooking, including meals for Crispus Attucks, interfaith dinners, and meals for Mitzvah Day. Her latest projects are supporting organizational change at Shaarai and co-leading the Church World Service welcome team for a new Syrian family along with Risa Paskoff.

Jewish Family Service of Lancaster is a nonprofit organization that seeks to help vulnerable individuals and families achieve well-being, health, and stability. For more information, visit http://www.jfslancaster.org.