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Foundation Focus: Winter 2018

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Cultivating Community, Gleaning Generosity.

On December 13, nearly 100 friends and supporters gathered for the Jewish Community Foundation’s 58th Annual Meeting at the Jewish Community Campus. Guests enjoyed seasonal refreshments, recounted achievements of the year, and celebrated the many ways the Foundation accomplishes “Cultivating Community, Gleaning Generosity,” the theme of the evening’s event. 

Irv Belzer, President of the Board of Trustees, welcomed attendees and invited young members of the Foundation family to light the menorah in honor of the second night of Hanukkah. Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick, Community Chaplain, then gave a heartfelt D’var Torah. Belzer’s annual presidential address followed; he engaged the crowd with examples of how the Foundation leverages fundholders’ generosity to transform charitable giving into an even more meaningful and impactful experience. 

A highlight of the evening was the public premiere of the Foundation’s new animated Donor Advised Fund video. Lara Pabst, JCF trustee, introduced the video by saying, “While a Donor Advised Fund is simple to use, it isn’t always simple to explain. The Foundation created this short video so that we can share it with others and they too can learn about the benefits of Donor Advised Funds.” The video features a father and son duo who work with the Foundation to grow their charitable resources and increase their impact. The event table centerpieces, mini wagons filled with various tomato products, resembled imagery used in the video and were donated to charitable organizations after the meeting.

Alex Ain was presented with the 2017 Friend of the Foundation Award for his generous contribution of time, energy and expertise to the Foundation’s recent “listening project,” which included multiple focus groups and a community-wide survey. The responses obtained will help the Foundation better meet the needs of both fundholders and the broader community.

The following officers were elected: Irvin V. Belzer, President; Alice Jacks Achtenberg, First Vice President; Edward J. Goldstein, Vice President; David R. Goodman, Vice President; James M. Klein, Vice President; Frank W. Lipsman, Vice President; Linda B. Lyon, Vice President; Alana R. Muller, Vice President; Robert V. Palan, Treasurer; Lauren Mattleman Hoopes, Secretary; and, Helene Lotman, Assistant Secretary. 

The following trustees were elected: Alice Jacks Achtenberg; Gary H. Cortes; Martha Gershun; Edward J. Goldstein; Susan Himmelstein; Stewart S. Koesten; Brad Koffman; Polly Kramer; Peter S. Levi; Alana R. Muller; Brian M. Scharf; and, Gary Weinberg.

 


A Generous Legacy for the Next Generation

Four years ago, Shirley White, of blessed memory, took action to encourage her grandchildren to work collaboratively in order to have a positive impact on the Jewish community she so dearly loved. She created the Lewis & Shirley White Grandchildren Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation, which brings her six grandchildren together once a year to make grants to local Jewish projects or international programs served by Kansas City-based Jewish organizations. The grandchildren, supported by JCF staff, meet annually to discuss community needs and decide how they would like to have a philanthropic impact. So far, they have distributed $40,000 to projects which range from clean water wells in Ethiopia to Jewish Family Services mental health services. 

The fund gives Shirley’s grandchildren the opportunity to experience the joy of giving as a collective and enjoy the chance to discuss their values with one another as they share memories of their grandparents and reflect on their legacy. Granddaughter Chloe White says, “We are so proud to continue our grandmother and grandfather’s legacy of generosity and support of the Jewish community, especially in light of our grandmother’s recent passing. In our giving, we seek to honor our grandparents and lift up those most in need.”

For creative ways to engage your own family members in giving, contact Josh Stein at 913-327-8121.


Here’s to Smarter Giving in 2018!

2017 was a record-breaking year, concluding with a total of 40 new Donor Advised Funds! In what was already shaping up to be a strong year, tax reform accelerated many people’s plans and gave others new motivation to establish funds before the end of the year. It is a distinct privilege to be a philanthropic partner to so many members of our community.

Donor Advised Funds have long been an invaluable tool for donors to take a strategic approach to their charitable giving, allowing them to maximize their generosity by minimizing their tax liability. As we adapt to the new normal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, we will continue to work with you and your advisors to create customized strategies that will enable you to maximize the benefits of your Foundation fund. 

The Jewish Community Foundation is here to help you accomplish your charitable goals. Whether it is a question about your current giving or a desire to Create a Jewish Legacy through a planned gift, please do not hesitate to reach out to us to discuss ideas. For a confidential conversation, contact Josh Stein at 913-327-8121.


Double Your Impact - and Help us Grow the Next Generation of Givers!

The time has come to replenish the “Mother Fund,” the matching funding source for new B’nai Tzedek funds. B’nai Tzedek, the Foundation’s wildly popular teen philanthropy program, introduces youth to charitable giving through their own philanthropic accounts at the Foundation. When each new B’nai Tzedek fund is opened with a minimum contribution of $125, the “Mother Fund” provides a $375 match, allowing each participant an initial fund balance of at least $500 to designate over time to the Jewish charities of his/her choice.

We need your help replenishing the fund! For a limited time, the Foundation will match up to $50,000 of contributions to the “Mother Fund.” 

For more information or to make a donation, contact Josh Stein at 913-327-8121.

Our annual B’nai Tzedek Shuk will take place on February 22 at 5:30 pm in the Heritage Center of the Jewish Community Campus. Contact Beatrice Fine at 913-327-4618 with questions.


We’re Learning by Listening

One of the best ways to understand the needs of those around us is to do a good job of listening. We’ve recently created numerous opportunities through surveys and focus groups to hear from those who partner with the Foundation and those who do not, those who are familiar with our work and those who are not, those on the periphery of our Foundation family and those at the heart of it. We did this to better understand how the Foundation is perceived, how its role and value in the community is understood and to uncover the needs that have not yet been addressed by our programming and outreach.

Through this process we learned a great many things. First and foremost, that the Foundation is viewed as a respected, trusted, and creative resource and advocate for Jewish philanthropy in Kansas City. It certainly warms the heart to get anonymous feedback like, “JCF is the pride of the Jewish community and the community at large.” “JCF is well-run and provides outstanding service.” And, “The Foundation provides a great opportunity to maximize the impact of your charitable dollars and be an informed donor.” Second, we learned that our donor-centered, customized approach to charitable giving is prized by those who take advantage of the personalized services offered, but not well understood or appreciated by those who don’t. Third, that there is a hunger among those most energized around their giving to connect with others to share ideas and best practices in grant-making. Finally, whether associated with the Foundation or not, the Jewish community is looking to the Foundation to learn about ways to engage their families in conversations about why and how to be charitable.

Each of these “learnings” provides valuable information that will help us to better communicate the value that the Foundation can provide to those who are willing to partner with us, to develop creative strategies that respond to the changing needs of our current constituents, and to assess our progress as a community leader. We hope that you will take advantage of the many resources of the Foundation and participate in the opportunities to enrich your giving experience as we move together into 2018.

Best Wishes,

Irvin V. Belzer, President, and Lauren Mattleman Hoopes, Executive Director


New Faces at the Foundation

Martha Gershun, Trustee: “Many years ago my mom, Gloria Gershun, set up an Irrevocable Charitable Remainder Trust at the Jewish Community Foundation. So, it was natural for my husband, Don Goldman, and me to set up a Donor Advised Fund at JCF when we were ready to embark on our own philanthropy as a young married couple. As a trustee, I hope I can share my experiences as both a donor and a nonprofit executive to encourage others to consider setting up Donor Advised Funds at the Foundation.”

Susan Himmelstein, Trustee: “My husband, Paul, was involved in forming J-LEAD and I first learned about the Foundation at that time. A few years ago, we opened our own Donor Advised Fund. As a trustee, I’d like to be able to bring my knowledge of estate planning, planned giving and asset management to help reach more prospective donors and help sustain more charitable causes.”

 

Tracie Holley, Legacy Stewardship Manager: As a new employee of the Foundation, Tracie will work closely with Josh Stein, Director of Philanthropy, to educate and motivate the Foundation’s agency and synagogue partners through the Create a Jewish Legacy program. Tracie says, “I am excited to continue the Foundation’s emphasis of this important community effort and to collaborate with the community agencies to grow and steward their own legacy programs.”


New Funds

Donor Advised Funds
Jeanne & Daniel Adler Donor Advised Fund
Milton & Marjorie Adler Donor Advised Fund
Dan & Melanie Allmayer Donor Advised Fund
Baran Family Charitable Fund
Allison Berey Donor Advised Fund
Steve & Linda Block Family Donor Advised Fund
Helen & Robert Bushman Donor Advised Fund
Dina & Joey Carr Donor Advised Fund
Steve Dolins Charitable Fund
Fineman Family Foundation
Flekier Family Fund
John & Jocelyn Fry Donor Advised Fund
Robert S. Gershon Donor Advised Fund
Melissa Palan Goldenberg Charitable Giving Fund
Ethan Goller & Rona Malakoff Philanthropic Fund
Howard & Shoshanah Goller Donor Advised Fund
Karen Greenwood Philanthropic Fund
Fred & Sherri Kahn Family  Donor Advised Fund
Eric & Miriam Kaseff Donor Advised Fund
Phil & Janette Levy Charitable Fund
Sam & Danielle Levine Donor Advised Fund
Jeffrey H. & Marcia S. Lipsky Charitable Fund
Peter & Sharon Loftspring Donor Advised Fund
Rabbi Arthur & Leslie Nemitoff Donor Advised Fund
Elinore Penner Donor Advised Fund
Larry Silver & Renee Polsky Silver Donor Advised Fund
David & Joanna Slusky Donor Advised Fund
Willen-Tarjan Family Fund
John & Barbara Waldron Donor Advised Fund
Gary & Gail Weinberg Donor Advised Fund

Restricted Funds
Lisa Bernard Lion of Judah Endowment
Elizabeth & Jack Bohm Fund for Congregation Beth Shalom
Elinor & Gustave Eisemann HBHA Scholarship Fund
Paul & Doris Flam Travel Scholarship Fund
Jewish Veterans Book Project Fund
Tikkun-KC Fund

Future Funds
Madeline & Jay Benjamin Donor Advised Fund

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