Who’s Saly?
Saly is a donor to the 2012 Federation Campaign. She has been steadfastly giving for many years, helping the Jewish Community of Louisville provide the funding to help many agencies and programs in Louisville, Israel and around the world. She gives generously, at an amount comfortable to her and her family. She is appreciated and respected. She has also chosen once again to give at a level that is the Same As Last Year (Saly).
Saly may not be aware that the needs in the Jewish community have increased greatly. For example, over a seven-year period ending in 2010 (the latest year for which we have economic data), Jewish Family and Career Services increased support to individuals by 70 percent. During that same time, the value of the dollar contributed in 2003 has been reduced by 30 percent due to inflation and other factors limiting the amount of donations nonprofits can apply directly to programs. That means that in order to achieve the same level of effect, for each dollar contributed in 2003, two dollars is needed now. That’s a big change. It’s also reality.
In announcing the 2012 Federation Campaign, we decided it was important to invite new donors to join us, and to ask steadfast donors to increase their contributions. When taken together, we decided to target an 18 percent increase – a relatively modest goal, given that the needs of our community have grown significantly more than that – and a number we believed our community members could embrace.
Here’s a brief list of what an additional 18 percent could provide:
- Instill Jewish values in more children through increased youth and teen programming.
- Provide more scholarships for JCC day camp to ensure all Jewish children have a chance to participate in this wonderful experience that helps define them as Jews.
- Feed more seniors nutritious lunches, helping them maintain their independent living status, and involving them in social activities that keep them involved in the community.
- Increase our Jewish education through more community-wide programs that celebrate our heritage.
- Develop more innovative programming to keep our community connected and energized as well as attract and engage the unaffiliated and those from interfaith families.
- Advocate more for Israel and for Jewish causes, offering a response to propaganda rampant on college campuses by providing an alternate point of view, otherwise called the truth.
- Help Jews in need, wherever they live – from Israel to 70 other countries, and right here in our own community.
We know economic times are difficult for many of us, but the needs for Jews here and all over the world is real and urgent. If you have not yet pledged, or have already pledged and would like to increase your contribution, please call our Campaign Office at 238-2739.
Please give from your heart.
Ralph Green, Campaign Chair
Stu Silberman, President and CEO
Jewish Community of Louisville