Temple Chai launches second major fund-raising effortTemple Chai has launched a large fund-raising campaign, "The Chai Dreamers Campaign, for Things that Really Matter," to raise funds for a variety of ongoing programs and facility enhancements.Campaign leaders Funds raised will be used to establish the Temple Chai Endowment Foundation, which in turn would fund temple programs such as the Shalom Center for Healing and its adult-education and youth programming. Campaign funds also are earmarked to be used toward expanding and enhancing the Mollen Social Hall and kitchen. Revenues from social hall and kitchen rentals will be used exclusively to expand youth programming. An outdoor sanctuary with sound and lighting will be another new addition. Funds also will be used to renovate the administration/classroom building and create Chai Field, a sports area with a softball field and regulation sand volleyball and basketball courts, to serve the temple until the revenues are available to build an educational complex on that land. Construction of the 15,000-square-foot, multi-functional educational complex, with space for all of the temple's classroom needs, the Shalom Center for Healing, a library, kitchen and meeting rooms, will require an additional $2 million in pledges. Solicitation of multi-year pledges from Temple Chai members has just recently begun, and the Chai Dreamers Campaign already has received more than $900,000 from 60 members. Included in that amount is $75,000 from staff members and more than $175,000 from the board of directors. Campaign leaders have set a $1 million target to be reached by the beginning of 1998. Temple Chai's first major fund-raising effort in 1988, "With Our Hands," raised more than $2 million to build a school, sanctuary and social hall. The temple plans a mortgage-burning party for those facilities this New Year's Eve. |