How JCC Rochester Uses Daxko to Strengthen Community and Streamline Operations

Before diving into software, systems, or statistics, it’s important to understand what makes the Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester so impactful. Nestled between the town lines of Brighton and Henrietta, this 200,000-square-foot center sits on 100 acres of land—and serves not just as a Jewish community hub, but as a cornerstone for all residents in Greater Rochester. With a nearly 50/50 split between Jewish and non-Jewish participants, the JCC is intentionally inclusive, programmatically rich, and grounded in its mission of community.

Yet with such a large facility, wide-ranging programming, and a growing membership base of over 4,500 individuals, JCC Rochester needed the right tools—and a renewed strategy—to evolve into a more connected, efficient, and insight-driven organization.

JCC Rochester offers a wide array of programs, from early childhood education and fitness to performing arts and overnight summer camps. While impressive, this diversity created operational challenges, especially in managing cross-departmental communication and member data.

Chief Operating Officer Shawn Stanton, who joined JCC Rochester after a career in corporate operations, immediately noticed the gap. He mentioned, “There’s a lot of room for improvement here in terms of what’s automated versus what’s manual. And unlike my for-profit background, where systems were just a given, here we really have to examine every tool because they aren’t free.”

Leadership also recognized that institutional knowledge had become siloed. Post-COVID staff turnover left gaps in platform understanding, particularly with Daxko’s tools that had been in place for years but weren’t being fully utilized.

As part of their leadership overhaul, JCC Rochester recommitted to Daxko Engage and Daxko Operations as strategic enablers. Their new approach focuses on centralizing systems, improving staff training, and connecting data to decision-making.

“We’re looking for a JCC that’s more system-oriented. Our community deserves that. They’ve been supportive of us for decades and now it’s time for us to show what our true capabilities are,” Vasquez shared.

The team worked with Daxko to reevaluate their implementation and prioritize staff training across departments. Daxko Operations provided greater control over program registration and financial tracking, while Engage opened doors to personalized communications and member touchpoints.

For JCC Rochester, the path to transformation is as much about mindset as it is about software. Leadership is committed to creating a data-informed culture where decisions are backed by reporting and where technology serves as a connector between people, not a barrier.

Still, there’s room to grow. Stanton shared that while they’re using some of Daxko’s reports, they’re eager to enhance that capability, “We want to make sure that when we’re looking at data to make decisions, that the data is accurate and complete. If you’re working from bad data, you can come up with the wrong answer.”

The JCC also sees Engage as a future game-changer, particularly for their new marketing team. While they’ve only just begun to tap into its full potential, early indicators show it could become a powerful engine for both retention and community connection.

Though still early in their system overhaul, the JCC is already seeing momentum in three core areas:

• Member Engagement: Targeted communications are helping foster a stronger sense of connection and personalization.
• Operational Efficiency: Staff are gaining clarity on workflows, reducing manual tasks, and improving onboarding processes.
• Data Strategy: Leadership is creating new internal baselines for tracking and evaluating program performance and revenue forecasting.

“We’re starting to get a handle on the tools, and it’s allowing us to plan more efficiently, not just react,” said Stanton.

As JCC Rochester looks ahead, the goal is to remain people-first while becoming more process-driven. By investing in training, building cross-functional leadership, and leveraging platforms like Daxko Engage and Operations, they’re turning a legacy institution into a modern, scalable organization.

Schedule a demo today to learn how Daxko can help your organization build stronger systems, deeper member engagement, and lasting community impact.