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DAN AND RACHEL SANDLER CREATE ENDOWMENT AT JFCS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

ByDonna O'Steen,Jewish Family & Community Services

The opportunity to benefi t others, to perform mitzvot, is one of the most meaningful things a person can do. That belief is deeply embedded in Dan and Rachel Sandler. The Sandlers have shared their time and talents across numerous community organizations, including Jewish Family & Community Services, Girl Scouts of the USA, and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In 2020, the Sandlers recognized how important JFCS is to the Jacksonville community – not just during a pandemic or a crisis, but every day. JFCS helps to advance the common good, to strengthen the community in which they live. Most important to them is impacting the youth of Jacksonville.

Since they’ve known each other, Dan and Rachel have always volunteered at organizations that support the positive development of children. They decided to make an impact on the future by creating the Dan and Rachel Sandler Family Endowment, primarily focused on children’s services. Their endowment will ensure that JFCS remains as strong and responsive in the future as it has throughout the last 104 years.

Dan, a JFCS board member, fi rst became involved with JFCS in 2018. His skill and experience in marketing made him a valuable asset to the agency. Dan currently chairs the JFCS Marketing Committee and is involved in supporting the marketing staff with branding and communications.

Rachel, a teacher of 15 years, is a Jewish educator at the Jewish Community Alliance. She is active with PJ Library and teaches about the value of tzedakah to children of all ages. Rachel coordinates collection drives to provide support to agencies assisting in restoring normalcy to the community, with a focus on JFCS.

The Sandlers met at the University of Florida at a Hillel campus BBQ on their second day at college. The two have been married for 17 years and have two children, Jordan and Alexis.

“JFCS is child-centered at its core.” Dan stated, “I want to help children who have faced abuse or traffi cking and have ended up in the foster care system by no fault of their own. We chose to start this endowment with that in mind. It is our way of lifting up their young lives as they move forward and heal.”

“Dan and I have witnessed so many others struggling to make ends meet and we want to give back to the community during a time when some lost everything,” Rachel added. “We wanted to put something in place for families who could be aff ected should another crisis arise, and an endowment will help to do that.”

JFCS is grateful to the Sandlers for their commitment and generosity. Their endowment will support children in its care and ensure that the organization can remain vital, trusted and permanent for future generations.

The Dan and Rachel Sandler Endowment Fund is invested with the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida. Contributions can be made online at jewishjacksonville.org/foundation/existing-funds.