It was a warm summer day when I met recent college graduate Sara. She was on her computer in a crowded Starbucks looking furiously for jobs in Chicago. Sara was from Ohio and excited for the possibilities that Chicago offered, but she was also nervous; she had no job and not many friends.

I meet with many recent college graduates like Sara, and they are usually looking for one of two things: Either they just moved to Chicago and need new friends, or they grew up on the North Shore, went to a nearby Big Ten college, and want to branch out. JUF’s Young Leadership Division aspires to help them do both. We are deeply invested in connecting recent college graduates to each other and the Chicago Jewish community. We invite them for coffee dates to get to know them better, tell them about the programing that exists, and also to put a friendly face on a big city full of big organizations like JUF.

Sara opened up to me about her journey to Chicago and her desire to get involved. She went to Jewish day school and camp, and was involved in youth group. Looking for a change, she chose a college with a less vibrant Jewish life and joined a non-Jewish sorority. She loved her experience, until her senior year, when she realized she no longer fit in with her college friends. The differences became more apparent. She felt awkward explaining Rosh Hashanah or why she didn’t celebrate Christmas. Sara had strayed away from Jewish life long enough; she wanted to be involved again.

Many millennials move to Chicago after college and are disengaged from organized programs. YLD wants young adults to see the value in a vibrant Jewish community, so we craft events and opportunities to bring new grads in similar life situations together.

One of the first things we do is provide resources. Last year, we created a Class of 2015 Facebook group to share what’s happening and facilitate networking. When I met with Sara, she told me she was looking for a roommate and I suggested posting in the Class of 2015 Facebook group. Shortly after posting, she met another young woman and they ended up living together.

Finding and connecting with these new grads takes work, but is easier than you might think. These young adults want to make the big city of Chicago smaller, and JUF is a great option to plug into a smaller Jewish world.

They’re also excited to bring others along. The relationships I’ve built with the previous year’s graduating class, for example, prove extremely useful to meeting the newest class. Jamie, for instance, graduated in 2014 from a Big Ten school and moved to Chicago. She served on the host committee for our Class of 2014 Happy Hour event and had such a great experience that she stayed involved with YLD throughout the year. When I started to reach out to 2015 graduates, I asked Jamie if she had younger friends moving to Chicago, and she connected me with at least 10 people interested in getting involved. Hillels are also extremely helpful in making these introductions.

Following many meetings, phone calls, and emails, we eventually assemble a host committee for the first event for that graduating class. Last year, the 25 Class of 2015 committee members represented 16 schools, and we empowered them to invite their friends and networks.

Encouraging these young adults to become leaders is a critical component. We assured committee members that even if they only knew one person in Chicago, that person might invite other friends, spreading the word and bringing people together. We knew that if they felt ownership of this event, felt successful, and saw firsthand the importance of Jewish community and JUF’s role in building it, that they would be inspired to take more steps on their journey as young Jewish leaders.

The Class of 2015 Happy Hour had 110 recent graduates representing 39 universities. Participants reconnected with old friends and made new ones. With the buzz being so positive, we added a second Class of 2015 event this past January. Now, almost a year after graduating, many of them still get together and are still involved.

Making matches such as Sara and her roommate is the best part of my job-and it really makes a difference. These young adults are making lasting relationships with each other and the Chicago Jewish community. All we have to do is reach out, facilitate these connections, and encourage these new grads to become leaders and the future of the Jewish community gets a little brighter.

The Class of 2016 Happy Hour will take place this September. To get more information about the event and similar opportunities for Class of 2016 graduates, you can email me at [email protected] or join the Class of 2016 Facebook Group.

Samantha Cutler is the young adult engagement associate the Young Leadership Division of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago.