New Donors Show Support for Community

[by Stew Bromberg, Vice President and Chief Development Officer Jewish Federation of Louisville]

The 2013 Annual Campaign for the Jewish Federation of Louisville has officially closed. As of today, we have received pledges of $2,016,675. Thank you to all of you who support the Louisville Jewish community. We know there are still pledges that are in the works and these will be added to the campaign total so we might have the greatest impact possible on our community, nationally and globally.

I would like to share a few important facts about this year’s campaign. We have 199 new donors this year with combined contributions of $238,947, or an average gift of $1,200 each. We have ‘reclaimed’ 178 donors who have not donated to our community campaign over the past two years. So why am I so excited about these two aspects of this year’s campaign? It is very simple. In my mind, the community believes that we are moving forward and moving in the right direction.

Many of you who have contributed to this year’s campaign are telling us that you want to see more and better programming and services available in our community. We hear you.

You are telling us that you like a greater variety in offerings to pique your interests. We hear you.

You are telling us that when we work harder to find dedicated and committed volunteers to help make all these wonderful changes now and in the future, that you are interested in being a part of the bigger picture. We are very glad to hear you.

I also extend thanks to some our donors who have supported our efforts through the awarding of grants to help us fulfill our mission this year.

Our special thanks to the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence for their support of our seniors, teens, community outreach programs, annual campaign and events, and also for helping us upgrade our donor management system and our website.

We would also like to thank MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, which is a national nonprofit organization working to end hunger in the United States and Israel. Their generous contribution is helping us continue to provide nutritious senior meals and to support our hunger advocacy efforts.

A special thanks goes out to the Kentucky Arts Council for their support of the JCC Senior Adult Program’s Accessible Art Project, which will allow us to expand our ability to ensure our seniors have the means to attend cultural and visual art events, projects, museums and performances not only here, but throughout the community.

Thanks, too, to Jewish Teen Funders Network for their support of the Louisville JCC Summer Camp – Camp Tikkun Olam Repairing the World Teen Foundation, which will enable a group of teens to explore Jewish, personal and family values related to giving by reviewing grant proposals from non-profit organizations and awarding grants of a minimum of $1,000 to selected nonprofit organizations. With the theme “Think Outside the Tzedakah Box,” the teens will conduct site visits, engage in a consensus-based grant-making process guided by Jewish texts, traditions and values and award the grants. JTFN has been offering this program for three years at overnight camps. Louisville is piloting the program for day camps and is the first enrolled in the program.

There are many other grant makers who have contributed to the over $400,000 we have raised this year in grants, and we thank you all.

Together we do extraordinary things. I have repeated this phrase in every article, letter and editorial I have written over the past year. This is not just a marketing phrase, but rather an expression of my passion for this community. My passion to see everyone more involved and engaged in all we do; my commitment to provide you with a community that you can be proud of and a community you want to share with others. Please join me as together we do extraordinary things. Be a part of the bigger picture, and help us shape the future.

THANK YOU for your support of our community.