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February 13, 2004/Shevat 21 5764, Vol. 56, No. 21
Federation giving grows
Campaign garners nearly $5 million in donations
BETH OLSON
Staff Writer
The Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix's 2003 Annual Campaign closed at $4,958,179.
The campaign total is $11,849 more than the 2002 campaign. A shortfall in 2002 resulted in budget cuts at the federation, as well as a reduction in allocations to the federation's constituent agencies.
Federation Executive Vice President Adam Schwartz said he is pleased at the success for 2003.
"I was thrilled that we were able to raise more ... than last year," he said. "It was a real testament to the way the community came together, particularly at the end of the campaign, to be sure that we were able to do at least the same for our agencies as we did last year."
The past year saw a host of changes in the federation, from the hiring of Schwartz to the commitment to change the process through which funds are allocated to the federation's constituent agencies.
"I think that the fact that we have a new executive who (came here) from a very strong federation in New Jersey gives us the support and strength we need to organize our campaign toward where we know it should go," said Mim Bottner, campaign chairwoman.
There are also changes in the works for 2004, including renaming the campaign to the 2004 Campaign for Jewish Needs.
"We believe that this new name more clearly reflects the reasons for the annual campaign," explained Bottner.
In addition, Bottner said, there will be a greater effort in the coming year toward outreach to new areas of the community.
"There are so many pockets of Jews in the community who want us," said Bottner, referencing the East Valley, Sun City and the South African Jewish communities, in particular. "That's the best news ever - people who want to know what we do, people who want to become involved."
The federation's annual campaign raises funds for local, national and international services. About 65 percent of campaign funds are distributed locally, split between the federation's own budget and allocations to 11 constituent agencies: Bureau of Jewish Education, Council for Jews With Special Needs, Hillel Jewish Student Center, Jewish Family & Children's Service, The King David School, Kivel Campus of Care, Pardes School, Phoenix Hebrew Academy, Tri-City Jewish Community Center, Greater Phoenix Vaad Hakashruth and Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center.
More than 20 national agencies are funded in part by federation dollars, including the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee and Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Internationally, the campaign - through United Jewish Communities, the federation umbrella organization - helps fund the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Joint Distribution Committee and NYANA, the New York Association for New Americans.
In a recent visit to the Valley, Stephen Hoffman, president and CEO of UJC, spoke about the importance of the campaign not only to local agencies, but also to UJC's efforts to assist Jews around the world.
"In addition to the needs you have here in Phoenix, the needs that we see outside of Phoenix are ... that we're providing basic welfare services, at very modest levels, to very hungry Jews in Argentina and the former Soviet Union."
Hoffman said UJC support is also essential in Israel, particularly for new immigrants, due to the troubled economy there.
"The government is cutting back services to immigrants," explained Hoffman. "It's cutting back language classes, it's cutting back basic support, it's cutting back housing grants, it's cutting back on student scholarship funds, and our people are there without family networks to support them, so it's (up to) us and if we don't step in, they're going to fall."
Phoenix's 2004 campaign is "off to a tremendous start," said Bottner, and Schwartz agreed.
"We're off to an unbelievable start both compared to our local history and compared to other communities," he said. "We've got over $2 million in, and we're running a 22 percent donor-for-donor increase. People all around the country are noticing the number and are excited about what a good start we're off to."
Contact the writer at beth_olson@jewishaz.com.
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