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Annual Report 2008

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Annual Report 2008 Just call us Table of Contents a pillar of the Message from the Board Chair and CEO . 3 Pillar 1 — community. Collaborative Community Planning . 4 Pillar 2 — Jewish Federation strengthens Financial Resource Development . 6 our community through four Federation Annual Campaign . 7 pillars of support: Jewish Community Foundation . 9 Pillar 3 — Leadership Development . 10 PillAR 1 | Pillar 4 — Israel and Overseas Connections . 12 COLLaboRATIVE COMMUNITY PLANNING We work together with our partner agencies to Financials . 14 identify community needs, and strategically allocate Allocations . 16 financial resources for effective responses. Board of Directors and Committee Chairs . 17 PillAR 2 | FINANCIAL ReSOURce DE VELopmeNT Federation generates funds through the Annual Campaign and the Jewish Community Foundation’s endowment program to meet needs in our community, in Israel and around the world . PillAR 3 | LeadeRSHIP DEVELopmeNT Federation nurtures and prepares emerging leaders for their future roles within our community . PillAR 4 | ISRaeL AND OVERSeaS CONNecTIONS We foster and strengthen our community’s ties with Israel and other overseas communities. 2 JFGV 2008 ANNUAL REPORT Rising to the challenge It is no surprise or secret that 2008 was a challenging year on many fronts . We began the year celebrating a record achievement in the 2007 Annual Campaign of $7 5. million, but closed out our 2008 campaign with a 4% decline in the face of the economic downturn . We sang and danced last spring in celebration of Israel’s 60th anniversary, but rang out the year with Israel’s southern region under extensive rocket attacks before and during Operation Cast Lead. The downturn and its impact on our areas define our work. The focus of this sharper and our priorities clearer . And national and regional economies, and report is on how we delivered value to by working as a catalyst to bring our therefore on our charitable programs, our community in each area in 2008 . community together in both good times has been front and centre for much of Consistent with the current and bad, we are fulfilling our community the year . Our board has focused on economic challenges, we’ve opted this building mission . “rising to the challenges of our times” year to economize by delivering this at each of its monthly meetings . Many report electronically, saving significantly organizations in both business and on printing and distribution costs . We charitable sectors are learning the value recognize the risk that comes with of focusing on their core strengths letting go of a tangible report you can and areas of responsibility, and your hold in your hands. However, for both Federation is no different . economic and environmental reasons Garry Zlotnik, Board Chair Since our founding in 1986 we feel we’ve made the right decision Federation has been defined by our for our times . four pillars – Collaborative Community Our campaign theme this past year Planning; Financial Resource was Live Generously: Together We Do Development; Leadership Development; Great Things! Even with fewer resources and Israel and Overseas Affairs. These it is no less true . Our focus has become Mark Gurvis, Chief Executive Officer JFGV 2008 ANNUAL REPORT 3 Pillar 1 Collaborative Community Planning Jewish Federation works with our partner agencies and community leaders to identify new and emerging needs, prioritize key directions and recommend effective responses. Through a variety of approaches including planning think tanks, community research, agency relations and specialized reports, Federation serves as a resource and catalyst, supporting and assisting volunteer leaders and community professionals as they respond to changing times and the growing diversity of the community . 4 JFGV 2008 ANNUAL REPORT Food Bank: Volunteers pack food hampers with fresh fruit to supplement kosher non-perishable goods at the Jewish Food Bank. 14% of our community lives in poverty, and hundreds of our community members accessed the Jewish Food Bank in 2008 (left). Official opening of Dany Guincher House May 2008: The official opening of Dany Guincher House, our community’s first affordable housing project for those at risk of homelessness, was made possible by a generous gift from the Guincher family, in memory of Dany who died in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Their gift enabled Tikva Housing Society to obtain matching funding through BC Government’s Provincial Homeless Initiative, and other community donors provided the necessary start-up capital and remaining dollars required to secure the property (right). Think Tanks Mental Health Issues Security Grants Federation facilitates community & Youth-at-Risk Security is an ongoing concern for the planning to identify needs and determine The cornerstone of Jewish Federation’s Jewish community, and 2008 was the responses that keep our community collaborative community planning first time security was addressed as strong now and for the future . This process is working with volunteer a community-wide issue . Federation year we facilitated three planning think leadership, agency professionals partnered with Canadian Jewish tanks in 2008 to address these priority and content experts . Together we Congress—Pacific Region to pioneer areas: serving vulnerable populations, developed reports in two key areas: a comprehensive security initiative that Jewish education and identity, and mental health and youth-at-risk . will positively impact every institution engaging the next generation and Determining the Needs of Jewish in our community . Canadian Jewish outreach to the unaffiliated. Information Adults with Mental Health Issues Congress—Pacific Region facilitated was gathered from partner agencies, was developed in collaboration with security audits for a broad array of from professionals and from community the Yaffa Housing Society, and local Jewish facilities . Federation members . Through this process a better Promoting Healthy Choices Among created a grant program through which understanding of the community’s Jewish Youth was prepared in community organizations could access views emerged. The recommendations consultation with the youth-at-risk funds . In addition, Federation secured generated through these think tanks committee . Key learnings from the matching funds from the Federal were captured in the Planning Council’s reports are already providing direction government. Beneficiaries include local 2008 report, which guided the for future program development, synagogues, day schools, day care 2008-09 allocations process . and potential funding of programs centres, the JCCGV and the Louis Brier and services to address needs in Home and Hospital . these areas . JFGV 2008 ANNUAL REPORT 5 Pillar 2 Financial Resource Development Federation generates the financial resources to support community needs, and build programs and services. Through collaborative community planning we identify our community’s needs, and through financial resource development Federation raises the funds to make possible the programs and services that address those needs. Federation has a multi-faceted approach to financial resource development: 1 . Federation Annual Campaign; 2 . Special campaigns and unique funding opportunities to address critical needs; 3. Endowment funds through the Jewish Community Foundation to provide a permanent base of support for the community . 6 JFGV 2008 ANNUAL REPORT Choices: Anita Diamant, best-selling author of The Red Tent, inspired over 500 women at Choices in October 2008 (left). Laugh Generously: Event Co-Chair David Newman welcomed comics Michael Gelbart and Jamie Foxx at Men’s Philanthropy’s Laugh Generously event (right). Federation • Food parcels and hot meals Annual Campaign through the Joint Distribution Committee to nearly 200,000 Funds raised during the 2008 Annual impoverished and elderly Jews Campaign were directed to three in the Former Soviet Union; priority areas: 1 . Serving Vulnerable Populations • Assistance and social services to 2 . Jewish Education and Identity immigrants to Israel from France, 3 . Engaging the Next Generation Russia, Ethiopia and elsewhere; • The JCCGV’s Bagel Club, which Serving Vulnerable offers social assistance and Populations recreational support to participants Federation provided constituent with developmental challenges and agencies with funding for: mental illness; • Emergency assistance and basic sup- • The L’Chaim Adult Day Centre, port such as food, clothing, medical which provides critical support to needs and transportation for clients frail and vulnerable members of our of Jewish Family Services Agency; community, as well as support to • Completion of a needs assessment family caregivers; through the Yaffa Housing Society to • Shalom BC, which served 290 new better meet the housing, employment immigrants, and responded to more and social interaction needs of adults than 5,000 information queries; with mental health issues; • Programs for youth-at-risk in the • JFSA’s housing coordinator, who periphery of Israel, designed to helped over 160 clients in their strengthen the self-esteem of search for affordable housing; disadvantaged youth, and help high • Coordination of programs and school drop outs get back on track; services at the Kehila Society of • Rental subsidies for residents Richmond; of Dany Guincher House. • Home-support services that enabled 100 seniors to remain in their homes; JFGV 2008 ANNUAL REPORT 7 Pillar of Torah Award: Vancouver Hebrew Academy honoured Jewish Federation in 2008 with
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