In a tremendously challenging year, the grand total of Jewish Federation’s combined 2010 fundraising hit $17 million – a $3.5 million increase over 2009. Federation’s “total” income stream includes the Annual Community Campaign, emergency campaigns for Haiti and Chile, endowment growth through the Jewish Community Foundation, special Israel gifts, designated gifts, targeted projects and agency efforts.

The $17 million in funds supports agencies, programs and services in St. Louis, Israel and overseas that build and maintain a vibrant Jewish community through programs for the next generations of Jews, Jewish education, care for the vulnerable and support for a strong Israel and safe Jewish world.  

Officials say this is good news in a year in which Federation’s Annual Community Campaign fundraising fell short.   “The fact that total development efforts have increased this year, after two years of significant decreases, reflects a couple of notable trends – our endowments and designated giving have shown strength,” said Harvey Wallace, Financial and Human Resource Development Vice President. “Endowments are growing again thanks, in part, to the Jewish Community Foundation’s ‘Create a Jewish Legacy’ program. In fact, JCF raised more than $5 million this year versus $2 and $2.8 million in the past few years.” In addition, designated giving, including Challenge Grants and special designated grants and Lifeline Funds among others rose to $1.5 million.

Ruth Lederman, Federation associate executive vice president and development director, said, “Although Jewish Federation’s Annual Community Campaign came in at just under $10 million, reflecting national trends of decreased giving in this tough economy, it is rewarding to see that our other income streams are rebounding. That gives us some optimism for the future.”

Create-a-Jewish Legacy is one such program, Lederman added. “Led by Federation’s Jewish Community Foundation, our agencies and congregations are working to encourage community members to consider putting the agencies, congregations, programs and services they hold dear in their estate plans. With the largest transference of wealth currently occurring, members of our Jewish community need to be out there speaking with potential planned giving donors encouraging them to leave bequests in their wills to secure our wonderful community into the future.”

Robert Millstone, Federation Campaign vice president, emphasized that Federation’s fundraising is really a means to an important end.  “Federation’s ambitious new strategic plan emphasizes programs and services for our next generations of young adults and families.”

Millstone added,  “Jewish Federation is leading the way to a vibrant and thriving Jewish community that will engage and inspire our next generations with opportunities to visit Israel, experience Jewish life and culture, develop deep connections to their Jewish identity and community while also knowing the vulnerable among us have support whenever it is needed.”

The above information was provided by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis.