If there is a Senior Adult event happening in Memphis, I’ll bet you run into Jennifer Roberts either manning a booth, helping with an activity or just mingling throughout the crowd.
“I love this demographic,” said Jennifer. “They have so much to teach us, and so many stories to tell. I have learned a ton from the seniors I interact with on a daily basis.”
Jennifer hadn’t planned to become involved with senior services, it was quite accidental.
She graduated from the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences in Memphis with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. After about 10 years in the dental industry, and starting a family, Jennifer was working parttime so she could be around for her children. The perfect opportunity popped up at the MJCC where she was then working in the preschool and camp.
“The Adult Services director was put on bedrest during her pregnancy in 2007,” she explained. “I was tapped to step in. After returning from maternity leave, she moved away when her twins were four months old, and the rest was history. I wasn’t interested in the adult programming or the arts programming, so then-MJCC director Barrie Weiser and I created a part-time job as the Senior Adult Coordinator.” She remained in that position until April 2017.
“All my senior knowledge over the past 17 years has come from on-the-job training and a lot of continuing ed!” she exclaimed.
These days Jennifer wears many different hats in the world of senior adults as well as other Jewish and Memphis-area boards.
She is currently the chair of the Memphis Jewish Federation’s Senior Collaborative, which has representatives from all the shuls, community members, clergy and Jewish agencies. “I love being part of this group,” she said. “Each agency speaks about events for seniors that are happening in town. We are all cheerleaders for all the agencies and want outstanding programming and widespread publicity for these programs for all area Jewish seniors.”
She’s a longtime board member and former vice president of Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab and serves as the Home’s Golf Tournament volunteer co-chair with her friend, Judy Moss. She was recently awarded the Aaron Brenner Distinguished Service Award in April 2024 at their annual meeting.
Jennifer delivers senior meals for the Wendy and Avron B. Fogelman JFS at the MJCC and drives seniors and special needs adults to appointments and events.
She joined the Hillels of Memphis board in 2011 when her older child went away to college. “I’m so proud of the new building and the growth of Hillel on both the Rhodes and U of M campuses,” she said.
Jennifer also divides her time among the greater Memphis community having served as the board president of Creative Aging where she still serves as a board member and volunteer.
“Creative Aging (www.creativeagingmidsouth.org) is a wonderful Memphis-area nonprofit that provides music and the arts to seniors in places they live and gather,” she explained. “We contract with over 120 local musicians and artists who are paid for their time. We serve seniors in four counties and visit over 100 venues. We are on track to have over 1,700 performances this year, countless art classes and more! I can be found several days a week travelling from senior center to senior community to synagogues, etc. visiting with the seniors while they enjoy a performance or a class. The biggest challenge I face is deciding where to go and who to listen to!
“I have built a rapport with those seniors,” she said. “I also like visiting new communities and making new friends. I wish there were more hours in the day.”
She is a volunteer with 901 POP, a nonprofit that repurposes flowers from events, such as weddings, and distributes to folks in their living facilities. She can be found volunteering at Senior Day at the Zoo, Senior Day at the Delta Fair and at the Senior Expo as the Agricenter.
Jennifer is also a Lion of Judah with Memphis Jewish Federation where she serves on the events planning committee. She was a former ASBEE sisterhood president and has served on numerous boards throughout the years.
“One of my favorite days was assisting a Creative Aging artist at a community in Olive Branch. I was there basically to wash paint brushes, snap a few pictures and help the artist,” she said. “The participants, ladies in their 80s and 90s, were painting and chatting. The conversation turned to high school. They were talking about marching band, cheerleading, glee club and cafeteria food!”
Jennifer gets calls weekly from seniors with questions, or from their family members.
“I have a huge network of professionals I refer folks to,” she said. “I love making a difference.”
