By Nancy B. Greer
President & CEO
GiveBIG is on May 9, just 12 days away. At Federation, we’re excited about participating in GiveBIG, and you will be hearing more from us about this community fundraising event in the days ahead.
Today, I want to focus on the real importance of this one-day online giving event: the spotlight it throws on the difference that each and every person can make for the people with whom we share our community and our world. The impact of the work that you support can be expressed with statistics, and while facts and figures are important to know, they don’t fully capture how much your gifts touch people’s lives and how that impact ripples out across community.
Let’s look at just one example. This coming summer, a child – let’s call him Max – will be joining hundreds of other children heading off to a life-changing adventure at Jewish overnight camp. Max can go this year because his family received a Federation camp scholarship made possible by generous donors.
At camp, Max will make friends, learn new skills, and most importantly, gain a deeply rooted sense of his own Jewish identity. From that strong foundation, as he grows up, Max will seek out Jewish experiences and create Jewish connections. He may look to experience Israel through the support of a Federation scholarship. He may attend a neighborhood Federation Pop-Up Shabbat – mingling with his neighbors just blocks from his home. And later on, Max may create an endowment through the Federation-managed LIFE & LEGACY® legacy giving program – doing his bit to secure our Jewish future.
Wherever Max goes on his Jewish journey, he will add his unique strengths to community life, touching many lives and making a lasting difference. Max will pay it forward because of the impact that your generosity made on his life. The Torah says, kol Yisrael arevim zeh b’zeh, we are all responsible for each other. YOU make Max’s Jewish journey possible. YOU ensure that he develops a strong Jewish identity.
That’s why GiveBIG is important – strengthening community through people helping people. I invite you to make a big impact by being a part of GiveBIG on May 9. Every gift counts. Every gift makes a difference.
One more thing – thanks to generous local donors, we have a Challenge Grant that will unlock once we raise $8,100 in GiveBIG donations. With your help, we can easily make Max’s and so many of our community members’ Jewish journeys possible. Help unlock the challenge grant! Support your Jewish community today!
Thank you!
