Annual Report
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JewishAnnual Federation of Metropolitan Report Chicago 2010 A Year of Great Challenges and Renewed Resolve hese are challenging days for nonprofits and Jewish communal institutions, and the Jewish Federation/Jewish TUnited Fund of Metropolitan Chicago has not been immune to effects of the harsh economy. Despite these challenges, we were still able to close our 009 JUF Annual Campaign at $77.5 million—but this was a 7.4% decrease from the previous year. Few communities in the nation achieved such a modest decline, and we are truly grateful for the steadfast generosity of our donors and for the extraordinary leadership of General Campaign Chairman Doug Cohen. However, every dollar we didn’t raise was a dollar we couldn’t put to work helping those in need in Chicago, in Israel and across the globe. Thus, in fiscal 00 Federation cut our own budget by 6.5%, and were compelled to also reduce our agency core allocations by 6.5%. At this time of great communal need, we are proud to report that, during the fiscal year ended June 30, 00, this institution This was the first time in decades that our fundraising totals was able to allocate a total of $39,774,45. This includes have decreased from one year to the next. And at the same $50,539,4 through the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan time, other sources of income for Federation and our agencies Chicago, provided to local agencies and programs that have been impacted by the economy as well. Our endowment benefit 300,000 Chicagoans of all faiths at every stage of life; distributions are down and our United Way funding has $35,740,0 through the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan declined precipitously—by nearly one-third within the past Chicago, devoted to overseas needs that benefit million Jews year alone. And as we all know, the State of Illinois’ budget in Israel and 70 countries across the globe; and $53,494,903 has been slashed to the bone, meaning that tens of millions allocated to charitable ventures worldwide in partnership with of dollars in funding remain at risk, while State payments our Donor Advised Continuity Funds, which include Family for already-delivered services are many months overdue. Philanthropic Funds and Support Foundations. Federation is helping to keep our communal agencies solvent by providing them with millions of dollars in bridge loans, but this is not a long-term solution to the funding crisis. J-HELP We thus face the sobering possibility that in the months to come Particularly helpful in responding to this economic crisis has thousands of the most vulnerable people in this community been J-HELP, a special 8-month initiative launched by JUF/ will suffer the consequences of these developments. Seniors Federation in fiscal 009 to increase our agencies’ capacity on fixed incomes, people with disabilities and impoverished to provide basic human services, particularly to newly- families are among those who may lose the services that have unemployed, financially-stressed middle class individuals helped them survive. We are vividly aware that, now more than and families. Through J-HELP, even at a time of declining ever, the JUF Annual Campaign is the community’s primary resources, 4% more people received food and 0% more bedrock of support. families received emergency cash assistance than prior to the recession. As of June 30, 00: • 5,700 families received more than $3. million in emergency financial assistance from JUF-funded agencies to pay for food, housing, healthcare and other critical expenses. • 4,000 unduplicated individuals received food from a range of sources, including EZRA and The ARK food pantries, Maot Chitim distributions, the JUF Uptown Café and the CJE SeniorLife home-delivered meals program. • 8,9 unemployed individuals received critical employment assistance. • Nearly ,700 students—66% of enrolled students— received tuition financial assistance at 6 local Jewish day schools. • 676 children received scholarships for JCC camping and early childhood programming—a 5% increase over last year. • 54 local congregational rabbis received grants to augment their rabbinic discretionary funds and allow them to assist more congregants in crisis. J-HELP was intended as a stopgap measure. However, when it became clear that JUF’s 009 campaign would not reach the bar raised in 008, and that 00 also was proving a challenge, leadership sat down with some of JUF’s very top donors to seek guidance about how to safeguard the community in the coming two years. Earthquake Relief JUF’s principal donors determined that action had to be Chicago’s Jewish community once again harnessed that taken to protect the most vulnerable in the near term. Their collective generosity in January, when a catastrophic solution was to connect J-HELP needs to a supplemental fund earthquake devastated the impoverished island nation of supported by JUF’s top donors. Major donors were asked Haiti. With the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago to match their 00 JUF Annual Campaign gifts with equal as the vehicle for our impulse to help repair the world, our amounts for J-HELP. To date, we have raised $ million community came together to raise $756,000 for the Jewish for this effort, which will be devoted to helping us meet the Federation Earthquake Relief Fund. Earthquakes subsequently most urgent community needs in 00-0. This brings our rocked Latin America, and earthquake relief efforts were J-HELP initiative’s total to $4.9 million since its inception. broadened to include Chile. The Federation absorbed all administrative costs, so 00% of collected funds were devoted The challenges before us are formidable, but so is our resolve. to earthquake survivors and their communities. Working As our community has done so many times before in our through our overseas partners, primarily the American Jewish history, we will rise to meet them. Joint Distribution Committee and IsraAID, those dollars were quickly put to work on the ground, offering survivors medical care and trauma relief, delivering fresh water and food, and 20th Anniversary of Operation Exodus rebuilding schools. This year marks the 0th anniversary of one of the most remarkable events of our lifetimes, Operation Exodus, when In April, the two of us took a 36-hour fact-finding trip to Haiti, the American Jewish community rescued .4 million Jews representing both Chicago’s Federation and The Jewish from lives of persecution and anti-Semitism in the Soviet Federations of North America. The first official representatives Union. More than million Soviet Jews embraced new lives in of the North American Jewish community to travel to Haiti Israel, helping to launch the technological boom and a vibrant since the earthquake, we met with Haiti’s President and other new economic era in the Jewish State. dignitaries, and we visited some of the humanitarian programs supported through Jewish Federation Earthquake Relief Funds. Operation Exodus was the culmination of two decades of We were profoundly inspired to see young Jewish volunteers intensive advocacy efforts by American Jewry, led in large working effectively and tirelessly. We also experienced measure by Chicago’s JUF/Federation. Through Operation firsthand how the people of Haiti have been deeply moved Exodus, we helped rewrite modern Jewish history. We by this outpouring of Jewish generosity, as were millions leveraged our collective generosity to transform the face of of people around the world of all faiths who watched news Israel, world Jewry and the future of the Jewish people. accounts with the Israeli flag flying above those heroic field hospitals. We can all be very proud of the special contributions Operation Exodus is the ultimate example of the promise and of both the State of Israel and the American Jewish community power of collective action. It shows how the Jewish community in rebuilding Haiti, which shone an international spotlight on is so much more than the sum of our parts, and how all of us Jewish values in action. can have a greater impact working together than each of us would have working alone. 3 On behalf of that unified community, JUF/Federation stands tall for Jewish ideals and interests. And it is your support of JUF that enables us to translate that unity into real action through a multi-faceted Israel advocacy program on campuses, in the media, and in the halls of power. Looking to the Future The cataclysmic economy and turbulent world affairs both underscore the importance of JUF/Federation, which is strong, stable, and poised to quickly mobilize resources and respond to emerging challenges. The JUF Annual Campaign is our lifeblood; at this time of profound community need, it is imperative that this year’s fund raising effort gains momentum, which can happen only if each community member steps to the plate and assumes responsibility for being a part of it. We Global Community, Global Challenges are hopeful that—with the continued commitment of every Even as local needs have escalated and natural disasters one of you in the community—the 00 JUF Annual Campaign demand our generosity, we remain committed to meeting our will succeed and will enable our community to meet today’s obligations to Israel and our global Jewish community. The severe needs. Federation system continues to be motivated by a sense of purpose that allows us to mobilize whenever and wherever We are committed to continuing to face the challenges of the Jews are in trouble, be it rushing food to Jewish families in moment in a fashion that will ensure the future vitality and Chicago or emergency aid to Sderot when the town was under strength of this Federation and this community. That is our terrorist siege or airlifting Jews in danger out of Yemen last mission and that is our obligation.