Eight million dollars in Legacy gifts and $80,000 in grants distributed to 10 local agencies
On Monday, March 19, the Tidewater Jewish Foundation brought together more than 150 community members to celebrate their generosity and provide $80,000 in incentive grants to 10 local Jewish agencies and synagogues. One year into a program meant to expand local “legacy” giving in order to build organizational endowments, more than 240 new legacy commitments or outright gifts worth an estimated $8 million have been secured.
The 10 local community partners are:
• Beth Sholom Village
• Chabad of Tidewater
• Congregation Beth El
• Hebrew Academy of Tidewater
• Jewish Family Service
• Ohef Sholom Temple
• Temple Emanuel
• Toras Chaim Day School
• United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC
TJF is the lead local partner in the fifth cohort of communities selected in the LIFE & LEGACY initiative of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, which is currently partnering with 52 communities across North America. LIFE & LEGACY is a four-year partnership program that assists communities to promote after-lifetime giving to benefit local Jewish day schools, synagogues, and social service organizations.
The celebratory event included a brief program featuring an original video, Tomorrow, Today, which highlights Tidewater’s diverse community and the promise of its future. The video is now on the Foundation website at http://jewishva.org/tjf-lifeandlegacy.
“I am amazed at how the community all came together to work toward the goal of future community through the LIFE & LEGACY program,” says Jason Hoffman, a past TJF board member. “We are too often fixated on how to fix the problems of now versus tomorrow. Mired in annual campaigns with too little time spent to the longer- term survival. It is nice to see a successful effort put toward the idea of longevity.”
Scott Kaplan, TJF president and CEO, says he was thrilled with the community support for the program and the event. “Legacy gifts enable a donor to make an impact now, and in the future, and extend their values and passions beyond their lifetime. The attendance at the celebration was a true demonstration of a community coming together.”
For information about participating in LIFE & LEGACY, contact Barb Gelb at bgelb@ujft.org or 757-965-6105.