- Meet Our Leaders
Claire Solot
For Claire Solot, Managing Director and Co-Founder of the Bigglesworth Family Foundation (BFF), serving on the JFCS Board of Directors seemed like a perfect fit in 2004. At the same time, her foundation was building and growing—and with JFCS’ broad range of services also expanding, Claire embraced the synergy that came from growing side-by-side. Remembering her grandparents’ involvement with JFCS (on the east coast) when she was a young girl, she felt a lasting connection to JFCS in the Bay Area.
Claire served on the JFCS Board for ten years and chaired the JFCS Public Issues Committee. She enjoyed advocating on policy issues locally and in Sacramento, and exploring how JCFS’ programs address community needs.
When JFCS found that the state was disqualifying elderly adults from attending much-needed Adult Day Health Care programs, Claire stepped in to support JFCS clients. Having worked as an attorney in both the public and private sectors, she was well-suited to help with administrative law hearings to ensure that JFCS clients could remain in the program and receive the care they desperately needed.
Claire also played a vital role in the development of JFCS’ YouthFirst, which provides leadership and work experience for teens. The parent of five children, Claire recognized a need for youth programs that supported teens and young adults through opportunities for hands-on experience. Confident that JFCS could expand in this area, Claire was instrumental in launching the YouthFirst program that supports hundreds of teens across the Bay Area today.
When asked why she felt that giving to JFCS was so important, Claire eloquently responded, “I don’t feel it is giving – I feel it is more like investing. I look at how the support translates into impact. And JFCS makes a huge impact!”