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January 28, 2005/Shevat 18 5765, Vol. 57, No. 22
Federation campaign hits new high
STEPHANIE N. HENSCHEL
Staff Writer
It was a record year for the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix's Campaign for Jewish Needs.
The 2004 campaign raised an all-time record high of $5,287,213 - more than a 13 percent increase from 4,894 donors who have given in the past and a 6 percent increase overall.
The campaign received nearly 600 new gifts.
Adam Schwartz, executive vice president of the federation, said he is "very pleased."
"People, I think, are feeling good about the work we are doing on behalf of the community," he said. The tone was set for the annual fund-raiser at the beginning when some donors contributed significantly more than they'd done in the past, he said. Mim Bottner, 2003 and 2004 campaign chairwoman, worked hard to get the message out to the community.
"I took it so seriously," she said, "and it meant a lot to me that we were so successful."
Schwartz attributed the large number of new donors this year to "a significant group of volunteers" who publicized the campaign throughout the community, as well as direct mail efforts and telemarketing.
"I think it was a series of things we did," he said.
Bottner also gave credit to the volunteers.
"I think I had a great team working with me," she said.
She is thrilled with having nearly 600 new donors.
"The past few years have been kind of flat" as far as new donors were concerned, she said. "The community really responded to (volunteer) outreach," she said.
An allocations committee is now meeting to decide how to distribute the funds.
The annual campaign helps fund 11 local Jewish agencies: the Bureau of Jewish Education, Council for Jews with Special Needs, Hillel at ASU, Jewish Family & Children's Service, The King David School, Kivel Campus of Care, Pardes Jewish Day School, Phoenix Hebrew Academy, East Valley Jewish Community Center, Vaad Hakashruth and the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center. The campaign also helps overseas, providing assistance in 59 countries around the world, including Israel.
Schwartz said a goal for the 2005 campaign has not yet been set but that federation leaders "would like to see a 10 percent increase."
Bottner will not be heading the 2005 campaign - after two years she said she is ready to turn things over to Ann Zinman, the 2005 campaign chairwoman.
"You lean on a lot of people when you do this - both for their time and their dollars," Bottner said.
Bottner will continue to work with the federation and the community on other projects. But she calls the campaign "one of the most meaningful volunteer projects" she has ever participated in.
In addition to closing out the 2004 campaign, the federation has received $49,479 for the Tsunami Relief Fund. The relief money is being transferred to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to support immediate relief efforts in the affected area of Southeast Asia, as well as long-term infrastructure reconstruction of schools, clinics and orphanages.
Contact the writer here
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