A LIFE & LEGACY® PUBLICATION FOR LEGACY DONORS | SPRING 2022
Matters
YOU WILL LEAVE A LEGACY. Your legacy includes treasured memories family and friends carry with them, written and spoken words that convey what matters in your life, and actions that make a difference. LEGACY Matters highlights the impact legacy commitments are having today and will have on future generations. We aim to educate about legacy matters and reinforce to have thriving Jewish LIFE, your LEGACY matters!
Because of you! The Jewish future is brighter because of you! When we launched LIFE & LEGACY® in the fall of 2012, our intent was to motivate and inspire Jewish organizations to reach out to you, their loyal donors, and give you the opportunity to have an impact on the Jewish future. Our initial seven Jewish community federations/ foundations and their local organizational partners bought into the concept and proved that by working collaboratively, they could engage donors in not only supporting their efforts today, but also in planning for the future. Over the past nine years seven communities became 72 and 83 Jewish organizations grew to 756! LIFE & LEGACY is now a movement in which you play a critical role. Your legacy commitments to the Jewish organizations that have impacted your life will ensure that future generations will experience vibrant Jewish life and be part of robust Jewish communities. We hope this publication conveys to you — legacy donors from communities of all sizes across North America — the depth and breadth of the impact you are having on the Jewish community, now and in the future. You, through your legacy gifts, have made a commitment that will carry the Jewish future forward, and we are eternally grateful. With appreciation,
+ Harold & Winnie Harold Grinspoon, Founder Winnie Sandler Grinspoon, President Harold Grinspoon Foundation
CELEBRATING YOU! On May 25, 2021, LIFE & LEGACY held its first virtual Legacy Donor Appreciation Event hosted by Jonah Kaplan, political and investigative reporter at ABC affiliate WTVD in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jonah kicked off the evening noting, “We come together to thank you, recognize you, and celebrate what can be achieved with a dream and a challenge.” He stated “Legacy giving is not just about ourselves or our own children — it’s about all Jewish children. They need friends, experiences, education, a connection to those who came before … the chance to make an impact now, and the opportunity to build a better world. Our legacy gifts … will be how we share our priorities with those we love and ensure that they are not lost with the passing of time.” Jonah introduced us to other legacy donors who shared their motivations for leaving a legacy. •
Wendy watched her children get on the camp bus for the first time and realized that people before her made this experience possible.
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Max’s legacy gift is repayment for the warm welcome he received when he moved back as an adult to the community where he was raised.
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Rachel credits her parents for helping her teach her children the importance of being active and showing up for the Jewish community.
Addressing you, Harold Grinspoon enthusiastically exclaimed, “You are all amazing! What you have accomplished and what you have done makes it a real privilege for me to join you as a legacy partner. I feel most indebted once again to all of you who are committed to the Jewish people.” To fully experience the appreciation and gratitude we have for you and your legacy commitment, view the 30-minute video event at: jewishlifelegacy.org/celebratingyou.
What’s YOUR story? What or who inspired you to make your legacy gift? Share your legacy story with us at legacy@hgf.org.
AN ENDOWMENT GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING Sam needed a suit to attend his first-ever job interview. Kate encountered unexpected medical bills from her recent breast cancer surgery. Jake hoped to launch a new business venture. Lori needed reliable transportation to get to work and support her family. While the names have been changed to protect their privacy, the stories are real, and the Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Antonio (HFLA-SA) hears them every day. Since 1924, the HFLA-SA has been providing interest-free loans to individuals and families who need a temporary financial lift. “We have to raise every penny we lend, so we depend on the support of generous donors and grants from the Jewish Federation of San Antonio and several family foundations to keep the cycle of lending continuing forward,” said Howard Feinberg, executive director. “Until recently, we seem to have been a well-kept secret in San Antonio. However, working together with other San Antonio Jewish organizations through LIFE & LEGACY helped us significantly raise the awareness of endowment giving throughout the community while raising the profile of HFLA-SA.” This past year, an anonymous donor couple seeded HFLA-SA’s endowment fund with a $25,000 cash gift. “This gift is an anchor for us. At HFLA-SA, where every dollar is used to help someone help themselves, this gift is an investment in real people striving to overcome difficult circumstances and move forward with their lives,” noted Michael Robbins, board president. “This unprecedented gift had an immediate impact. It was not only the catalyst to build long-term funding leading to predictable income, but this gift also motivated others to invest in the organization, both with ‘today dollars’ and for the future,” added Jeff Siegel, vice president for development. “That gift prompted the organization to update important policies and procedures, while underscoring the need for hiring staff that will further grow HFLA-SA’s ability to help more people,” continued Siegel. “The dividends from the gift enable us to grow the endowment, while also immediately increasing our overall capacity to grant additional loans,” added Michael Robbins. The couple that made the founding endowment gift support several Jewish organizations in the San Antonio community. “We wanted to help now and in the future, not just to sustain our beloved Jewish community, but to improve the human condition overall,” said the wife. Her husband added, “I learned about the importance of the HFLA-SA from my father’s example as a leader and donor. As a younger person, I saw how small 0%-interest loans empowered people to confront the challenges in their lives — with dignity — and helped them with their own recovery. We wanted to guarantee that San Antonio’s Jewish community would always have this resource to help community members overcome financial hardships.”
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We change people’s lives every day. Having a robust endowment ensures that we can meet the increasing needs of individuals, treating them with dignity, and realizing the exhortation of our tradition that ‘if you lend money to my people, even to the poor among you, do not act toward them as a creditor; you shall not charge them interest.’ (Exodus 22:24) — Howard Feinberg, executive director
ORANGE COUNTY is all smiles
What if you had one more child to nurture and protect — and that child was your community? How would you ensure the future of that child’s needs in a way that supports your own values and vision for the future? — jcfoc.org/endowment-book-of-life
Wendy Arenson joined the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County in California as executive director in 2012, committed to creating an endowment initiative that would leverage other organizations in the Jewish community. “People were very much in their silos,” she explained. “The way they engaged with the Jewish community was almost exclusively through their synagogue or favorite nonprofit. It was clear that we needed to break down the silos so we could have one Jewish response. We also needed to change our approach to philanthropy.” Arenson worked hard to build trust between the foundation and the other Jewish organizations in the community. “We had to get leaders from these organizations to share information with their donors about us and other Jewish organizations that they previously saw as competitors. My expectations were moderate. I was hopeful we would have some success and that LIFE & LEGACY would bring the community together,” she explained. The results were beyond anyone’s expectations. “If you look back at where we were before the LIFE & LEGACY program and where we are today, we’ve seen a 140% increase in assets (to $105 million) held at the foundation and a 21-fold increase in grant funding, and now we have a future that’s so optimistic for all of our organizations,” noted Gideon Bernstein, chair of the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County, “and to me that is the great part … I see all of these philanthropists that really wanted to see success, with a smile on their faces, because they know their organizations are secure.” “Financially, legacy giving provides us with the potential for a vibrant Jewish future,” said Arenson. “Relationship-wise it gives us the ability to do new and exciting things together. Organizations are having conversations about combining resources to be more effective. Donors look at the community as a whole, and it opens the door to new relationships, deeper understanding, and stronger connections.”
Gideon Bernstein and Wendy Arenson
LIFE & LEGACY was the catalyst to transforming the Jewish community of Orange County. Share your story of transformation by contacting legacy@hgf.org.
“I have seen such collaboration between all the different organizations. There’s no competitiveness, really — this is a group effort to keep Jewish life alive here in Orange County.” — Jeanne Pepper, community leader
10 legacy donors selected at random who shared their stories and uploaded their photo to the Donor Mosaic, had a $1,000 donation made in their honor to one of their legacy organizations. These donors came from the following communities: Broward County, FL • Central MA • Charleston, SC • Lehigh Valley, PA • Northeastern NY • Phoenix, AZ • Southern NJ • Stamford, CT. To view the Donor Mosaic, visit jewishlifelegacy.org/mosaic.
Each One Reach One emphasizes sharing legacy stories as a way for you to magnify your impact and ensure that treasured Jewish organizations have the financial security to continue their work long into the future. At the Legacy Donor Appreciation Event, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation launched a six-month incentivized Each One Reach One campaign to increase the number of donors making legacy commitments. You heeded the call and were the first to make a legacy gift to sustain Jewish life. You shared your story with family and friends and inspired others to make their commitments. Here are the results of the campaign:
91 organizations received a $2,000 grant for having the highest percentage increase in legacy commitments in their community. These organizations are in the following communities: Atlanta, GA • Atlantic & Cape May Counties, NJ • Broward County, FL • Calgary, Alberta, Canada • Central MA • Central PA • Charleston, SC • Charlotte, NC • Chicago, IL • Cincinnati, OH • Dayton, OH • Delaware • Durham-Chapel Hill, NC • Greater Mercer County, NJ • Houston, TX • Indianapolis, IN • Lehigh Valley, PA • Louisville, KY • Memphis, TN • Miami, FL • Montreal, Quebec, Canada • Nashville, TN • Nevada • New Mexico • Northeastern NY • Omaha, NE • Orange County, CA • Palm Beach County, FL • Phoenix, AZ • Pittsburgh, PA • Portland, OR • Richmond, VA • Rochester, NY • San Antonio, TX • SarasotaManatee, FL • Seattle, WA • South Palm Beach, FL • Southern NJ • Tampa, Orlando & Pinellas, FL • Tidewater, VA 7 organizations increased their organizational legacy commitments by at least 50% and received a thank-you video from the LIFE & LEGACY team. These organizations are in the following communities: Broward County, FL • Memphis, TN • Montreal, Quebec, Canada • Orange County, CA The following Jewish community foundation/ federation partners received a $10,000 grant for having the highest percentage increase in legacy donors among their LIFE & LEGACY cohort: Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation (South Palm Beach) • Jewish Community Foundation, Inc. (Southern NJ) • Jewish Community Foundation of Central Pennsylvania • Jewish Community Foundation Orange County • Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties • Jewish Federation of Broward County • Jewish Federation of Cincinnati • Jewish Federation of Lehigh Valley • The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County It’s not too late for you to share your story with others and invite them to make their legacy commitment. Each additional legacy donor ensures Jewish tomorrows!
9.30.21
72
756
Legacy Commitments
Donors
Par tner Organizations
Participating Communities
32,608
22,300+
135M
$
1.26B
$
Placed In Endowments
Assuring Jewish Tomorrows
FROM THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR
Arlene D. Schiff
I have had the privilege of witnessing a significant transformation in legacy giving in the Jewish community over the past nine years. Our enthusiastic partners, Jewish federations, and Jewish community foundations across North America, are embracing the challenge of securing funding for Jewish life to flourish in the generations ahead as they meet today’s every-increasing needs. Organizations of all sizes and types are learning the language of legacy giving, showing their appreciation for the investment donors are making and working together to strengthen vibrant communities. Donors like you are stepping forward to sustain Jewish life. We still have work to do — sharing stories and inviting others to make a legacy gift; training, mentoring, and coaching organizations to integrate legacy giving into their ongoing fundraising activities; and changing the philanthropic culture so legacy giving is normative behavior. Thank you for being our partners in assuring Jewish tomorrows! JEWISHLIFELEGACY.ORG