Volunteer Spotlight September 2025: Laurie Kramer
Laurie at the 2018 Mental Health Education Conference, celebrating the move to a volunteer role.
What can you tell us about yourself and your background?
I moved to the Twin Cities in 1983 with my husband, Joel, and three young sons. In 1984, I began working at the St. Paul Jewish Community Center in a range of positions, culminating as associate director. In 1998, as part of a career change, I entered the MPH degree program at the U of M. I wanted to study mental health from a public health perspective – focusing on what we can do together to enhance the mental health of a community, in addition to treating individuals with mental health problems. Knowing that mental health issues were highly stigmatized in the Jewish community, my plan was to complete the MPH degree and find work in the general community. But the well-publicized and tragic death of Barbara Schneider in June 2000, while she was in the midst of a mental health crisis, seemed to me to open a window of opportunity to educate the Jewish community about mental illness and lessen the stigma that often prevented people from seeking help.
What volunteer role do you have with JFCS and what volunteer roles have you had with JFCS in the past?
I became a JFCS volunteer in 2018 after retiring from my work as coordinator of the Annual Mental Health Education Conference. I was proud to move from the staff role to the volunteer role.
What does your volunteer role consist of?
I serve on the conference planning committee and provide information and guidance to staff and volunteers about the past history and goals of the conference. This year, the 25th anniversary of the conference, I am heavily involved in planning an event to celebrate the anniversary and bring together those who have made the conference an ongoing success.
What motivated you to begin volunteering with JFCS and how long have you been volunteering with JFCS?
Even though I was ready for retirement, I had invested too much of my time and energy in the conference to think of dropping it completely. I wanted to help the conference succeed on a long-term basis while leaving the staff leadership role to others.
What’s your favorite part about volunteering with JFCS and how has being a JFCS volunteer impacted your life?
The people I’ve come to know—both other volunteers and staff—have greatly enhanced the quality of my life. Many have had personal or family experience of the struggles of living with mental illness. Their willingness to share their experiences in order to help others has shown me the meaning of tikkun olam, repairing the world to make it a more just and compassionate place.
Do you have a memorable story about your JFCS volunteer experience to share?
Over the course of 25 years, in both staff and volunteer roles, I’ve experienced both uplifting and painful moments. The most difficult—for me and others—were the suicides of two active members of the conference planning committee. Experiencing these deaths helped me understand the power of mental illnesses and the importance of the work we’ve been doing for so many years.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking of volunteering with JFCS?
Do it! Find a program that resonates with your interests and life history. The efforts you put in will be far outweighed by the benefits to your own life.
Anything else you want to share?
This year’s 25th Anniversary Mental Health Education Conference will be on Sunday, Oct. 19, at Temple Israel. I’ll be there and hope you will too. Come to learn, give and get support, and have an inspiring day.
Click here to learn about and register for this year’s 25th Anniversary Mental Health Education Conference, taking place on Sunday, Oct. 19. The conference is free and open to all. Volunteers are needed for the day of the conference and are an integral part of making this conference special. Volunteers can accomplish tasks while also attending the conference. Click here to sign up.
Please contact Tabitha Benci DeRango at 952-417-2107 or tderango@jfcsmpls.org if you have any questions.
For more information about JFCS Volunteer Services, click here or contact Dana Shapiro, Community and Volunteer Engagement Manager, at dshapiro@jfcsmpls.org.