Annual Report 2020
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jcfmontreal.org ANNUAL REPORT 2020 RESILIENCE 04 Letter from the President 05 Letter from the Executive Director 06 COVID-19 Crisis Relief 07 Mission, Values, Commitment 08 Grantees 16 Philanthropic Development 18 Financial Summary 20 Investment Report 22 Person of the Year 2019 TABLE 24 LIFE & LEGACY ® OF 26 Nova Grants CONTENTS 28 Scholarships 30 PAC Seminar 32 Governance 34 Professional Team INDEX MESSAGE FROM THE RESILIENCE PRESIDENT ‘‘ Between stimulus and response there is a space. In Family Store, Tomche Shabbos, the Chessed Fund, just to that space is our power to choose our response. In name a few. We also understood that we had the power through the generosity of our valued fundholders who in our response lies our growth and our freedom. to respond to the broader community and we quickly the past year, collectively distributed over $114 million to authorized emergency funding to Centraide and La MESSAGE diverse charities and programs. It has been humbling to Viktor Emil Frankl, (1905 – 1997), Auschwitz Fondation du Grand Montreal, who were organizing food witness the determination of our donors who acted so and shelter relief for our fellow Montrealers and Quebecers. ‘‘ survivor, author of ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ FROM THE decisively during this time of uncertainty. I believe that our response to the novel coronavirus thus It has also been inspiring to witness the commitment of Next year the Jewish Community Foundation will be far would have made our founders proud. Their vision, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary! We will be honoring the five decades old, foresaw the need for a rainy-day fund EXECUTIVE the members of the JCF professional team who despite women and men who through their dedication and hard and thanks to them we were able to not only respond to working remotely, juggling kids at home, or taking care work have helped ensure the vitality of Montreal’s Jewish the crisis but will have the ability to plan for a recovery of parents – have continued to dedicate themselves to community. One such person is the late Arthur Pascal, who, that will keep our community strong. DIRECTOR serve our clients. I want to thank Joelle Mamane for taking care of the business side of our operation so together with other founders of the JCF understood the I wish to thank Kathy Assayag on behalf of the JCF board importance of planning and securing the future. The JCF and the community at large. Kathy’s leadership and For the past seven years, I have had the privilege of leading effectively and express gratitude to Bobby Kleinman for was established with the idea of creating an emergency perspective garnered numerous requests to sit at so many the Jewish Community Foundation. For each of those the wisdom and experience he so generously shares. fund to respond in the event of an adverse situation. tables where her skills and broad networks could mobilize years, as I prepared to address our valued fund holders Finally, a word of thanks to Danny Ritter, our President Today, 49 years later, I am in awe of their foresight. As resources with focus, determination and compassion. I in our annual report, I would choose a word in Hebrew Frankl suggested in his profound words, in the space also owe a debt of gratitude to the staff of the JCF who to highlight a particular thought. These words, deeply who has been a source of formidable support to me. I am of COVID-19, an unimaginable global pandemic, the continued to punch well above their weight in order to meaningful to me, were relevant to our work in promoting grateful for the important discussions we had aimed at JCF had the power to choose our response based ensure we could respond to our generous donors in philanthropy and reflected the experience of that year. deciding how best we could respond to the crisis. Under on our mission and our financial strength. In March, facilitating their personal philanthropy at this critical time. his leadership and with the support of our Board members I thank the Executive and Board of Directors for their as the lockdown measures took hold, thanks to our As I contemplated the events of the past six months, I we deployed an emergency fund that did and will continue leadership and support over the course of the year and emergency reserve fund capitalized over many years, we pondered on what word I could possibly use to describe to do a lot of good. At the core of our board members’ particularly in the past 6 months during the pandemic. were uniquely positioned to choose our response. We what we are currently going through. Amidst the purpose is the will and ability to make a difference, based immediately approved $1.5 million towards relief efforts The pandemic will continue to create pressures and COVID-19 pandemic, we have been challenged in ways on a deep and true sense of care for others. facilitating and convening an integrated response to challenges on our beloved Community. The JCF will stand previously unimaginable. We all encountered unforeseen Montreal’s emergency needs. strong in our response as we must ensure the future of adversities of, at times, existential proportions. Upon As the COVID-19 pandemic is far from being resolved, We were able to convene a Community response in our Community and allow for the next generation to reflection, the word that came to mind was resilience. we will need resilience and endurance to continue to partnership with Federation CJA including food relief nurture the freedoms we have enjoyed living in such a One of the possible corresponding words in Hebrew is meet the many challenges ahead. to isolated seniors and newly vulnerable families. We storied Community. In our response, as Frankl said, we will ‘Amidut’, meaning to stand-up, to recover, to stay strong. joined forces with the Hebrew Free Loan Association of secure the growth and freedom for those here and abroad With this, I wish to express my gratitude to our fundholders who will need our collective help now more than ever. Montreal, to offer interest-free loans to small businesses What is it that makes us resilient and enables us to and colleagues, who together, make miracles happen at who were impacted by the pandemic and who did not surmount difficulties? The answer is purpose, whether it times that matter most. qualify for the government backed loan program. We Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year ahead. is through our work, being there for our loved ones, or by also funded 15 Jewish day camps to help subsidize fees, Sincerely, supporting our community. In other words, finding purpose operate safely in smaller groups and enabled them to by looking beyond ourselves and serving others. With warmest wishes, purchase the necessary personal protective equipment. Danny Ritter, CA, CPA, CFA Together with Federation CJA, we funded COVID relief President Nowhere is that concept better reflected than by giving Kathy R. Assayag grants to several aid organizations including MADA, the The Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal tzedakah. This act of social justice is demonstrated Executive Director 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2020 5 COVID-19 MISSION The Jewish Community Foundation’s mission is to grow a strong, sustainable community CRISIS that embodies the Jewish values of tzedakah, tikkun olam and dor I’dor; from one generation RELIEF to another. VALUES We want to ensure that Montreal and its organizations remain strong and vibrant by helping At the very start of the pandemic the Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal build and carefully steward financial resources and offer tax-smart solutions that magnify deployed its emergency fund to respond to people in need. Relief efforts were done the power of giving to create more impact. We are here to help individuals and families in partnership with Federation CJA and have been primarily focused on food relief, support the causes they care about and achieve their philanthropic goals. support to isolated seniors, providing safe day-camp experiences, as well as a small business loan program. The JCF has committed $1,500,000 towards relief efforts thus far. Our ability to do so is made possible by the fees we charge our clients, as well as accumulated investment earnings, which over time helped us build a reserve for COMMITMENT emergency purposes. We thank our fundholders for making this possible and pledge We are committed: to continue to do everything we can to help people recover from the crisis. • To helping individuals and families support the causes they care about and achieve their philanthropic goals • To finding solutions that are tax-wise, create greater impact and reflect our clients’ values • To ensuring Montreal and its organizations remain strong and vibrant by helping build and carefully steward financial resources JEWISH COMMUNITY BROADER EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND COMMUNITY RELIEF $114 Million $1.43 Billion $100,000 $100,000 Allocated to Allocated to 15 summer camps La Fondation du Grants & Charitable Donations Assets Under Management Grand Montréal YEAR $1.5 Million $300,000 $150,000 Allocated to the loan program* Allocated to Centraide AT A 2,465 1,100 $580,000 Awarded to 73 organizations for food aid and support for the elderly *In partnership with Hebrew Free Loan GLANCE Approved *Numbers as of August 15, 2020 Number of Funds Number of Grantees 6 ANNUAL REPORT 2020 7 OUR COMMUNITY & GRANTEES ARTS & CULTURE SOCIAL SERVICES Black Watch of Canada Foundation 35,000 7730616 Canada Association 5,080 Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame 10,000 Agence Ometz 269,449 Canadian Vocal Arts Institute 22,100 Appalachian Corridor 8,500 Our fundholders continue to direct their philanthropic dollars to the causes they hold dear to their Cinemania 78,000 Association québécoise de voile adaptée (A.Q.V.A.) 5,000 hearts, in both the Jewish and broader community.