By Jessica Mehlman, JCF Assistant Director

What do you get when you have donors who give undesignated endowments to the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ (JCF)? You get funds that allow JCF to meet emerging community needs in creative and innovative ways  ̶  year after year.

This year, thanks to grants from undesignated endowments at JCF, Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey and Temple Emanu El of Westfield are working together to serve the needs of older adults across Union County. Temple Sharey Tefilo Israel and Temple B’nai Abraham are collaborating to connect young families to Jewish life. And nationally recognized organizations like Keshet are working with both Federation and local synagogues to provide community-wide awareness trainings on issues that affect the LGBTQ community.

Unrestricted endowments at JCF were established by people with a wide variety of interests, but they did have one thing in common. They all had the foresight to realize that while the needs of the community may change, JCF and Federation would always have smart, committed, and passionate professional and lay leadership they could trust to make future funding decisions.

The UJA-Federation Annual Campaign is the backbone of our community. It allows Federation to CARE for people in need, BUILD Jewish life, and SAVE, one person at a time, every day. But sometimes, we need a little more help to grow. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with our committed leadership and professionals who spearheaded the JCF grant-making program that is helping our community grow.

JCF donors DREAM of ensuring a strong future for the Jewish community. They BELIEVE in providing funds with enough flexibility to meet ever-changing needs. Their wishes are ACHIEVED through the vision, planning, and plain-old hard work of our lay committees, which make the ultimate decisions regarding JCF grants. JCF will forever be grateful to these donors, whose careful planning yesterday gives our community tremendous opportunities today.