philanthropy

Spiral Giving Teaches Local Children About Philanthropy

April 18, 2019 by Sue Bolen

What makes a philanthropist? Google the word and a bevy of images of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Oprah Winfrey pop-up making us believe that a philanthropist is well known and extremely rich and that to earn the label of philanthropist one must make a huge financial impact to society. Two Chappaqua women, Sue Fuirst and Julie Gerstein, set out to show how even small donations can have a big impact on our community, and while doing so dispel the idea that only the super rich can be philanthropists.

In 2015, Fuirst and Gerstein introduced Spiral Giving as an extracurricular program to the Greeley and Byram Hills high school communities. Their program teaches the fundamentals of philanthropy through a specially designed curriculum that focuses on the value of local impact. “We discuss the needs of our neighbors and donate money to local charities through a grant-awarding process that the students themselves administer,” tells Gerstein. Spiral Giving participants learn to embrace the many needs in and around our community and realize that they have the power to make a meaningful, measurable impact. While doing so, they gain an understanding of the nonprofit and philanthropic landscape of Westchester County.

Fuirst and Gerstein feel that service projects and volunteerism help to teach charity and benevolence, but often worry that these are seen as one-off events–something that is checked off as done, not something that one does. Spiral Giving was formed to help teens identify the social issues that matter to them and to provide them with the tools necessary to make a difference in this increasing backdrop of need.

Girls (L to R): Sami Miller, Chloe Greenstein and Natalie Bass

Leadership Opportunities for Participants

Spiral Giving also provides communication and leadership opportunities and encourages stewardship around giving back. Orestes Rellos, a senior at Horace Greely High School, is a third-year participant and Peer Leader at Spiral Giving. Rellos comments, “Spiral Giving is all about personal growth and leadership development, while learning about the needs of various segments of our community and doing the greatest good by giving back. Giving back takes on even greater meaning and personal application as we, the students, contribute the money that funds Spiral Giving grants. We request, review, and approve grant applications. Spiral Giving is about us, students learning, understanding and then helping our community.”

Over the past four years Spiral Giving has awarded 22 micro-grants to Westchester-based charities and nonprofit agencies. The students recently awarded a grant to Lifting Up Westchester, a nonprofit that assists those struggling to overcome the challenges of poverty, homelessness, and hunger, and provides support that leads to greater self-sufficiency. Anahaita Kotval, Executive Director of Lifting Up Westchester commented, “I love that Spiral Giving engages its student members to critically think about what funding an issue really means and that they are empowering young people to help those in need.” Learning about the various agencies’ budgets has exposed the students to something that was previously unfamiliar.

Bailey Todtfeld, another Peer Leader, says, “Spiral Giving is unique in that it shows us the business side of nonprofits, a side that teenagers rarely see. Learning about nonprofits as a business has taught me the importance of responsible usage of funds and the challenge of sustainability within organizations.”

Inspiring the Next Generation of Philanthropists

At the heart of Spiral Giving is the issue of how parents and educators can work together to inspire the next generation to become engaged in issues surrounding them. Spiral Giving wants the next generation to become invested in their future and to feel empathy for their neighbors. Fuirst believes, “This is often a challenge in communities such as ours, where basic needs are small and personal wants are big. Places where the discrepancy of wealth between towns is often large and affluence can lead to misplaced values.”

Spiral Giving illustrates how individuals can become a philanthropist. By giving teens the power to make an impact at this formative time in their lives, Spiral Giving has the ability to alter the perception of high school students and show how each person has the potential to change a life, strengthen a community, and make an impact on the world.

Spiral Giving’s grants are funded by Spiral Giving 501c3 through student fundraising, collective giving and private donations. Please visit www.spiralgiving.org to donate or learn more.

Greeley Grad Raises Money for Women in Kore, Ethiopia on Cross-Country Bike Trip

August 29, 2018 by Amy Kelley

On a sweltering Thursday in July, Horace Greeley ’10 grad James Rosenberg missed a phone call from a reporter.

“I ended yesterday in Hell’s Canyon,” he explained later. “They say it’s named that due to the heat but I suspect it’s due to lack of cell signal.” Ultimately though, Rosenberg proved pretty reachable for a guy on the last two weeks of a cross-country bike trip.

Rosenberg was close to achieving his goals: the completion of a ride from Yorktown, VA to Astoria, OR and his fundraising aim of $20,000 to benefit Ethiopian women in the community of Kore, Ethiopia, through a charity called ‘I Pour Life.’ Kore is a community located on a garbage dump on the outskirts of Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa and has 100,000 residents. Many of these marginalized residents are widows, orphans and HIV/AIDS victims.

A Novice Biker

After attending Emory University in Georgia and working in corporate strategy first for Dollar Tree and then, back in New York, for JP Morgan, Rosenberg decided to get his MBA. “About two to two-and-a-half years ago I started the process of applying to business school and to keep myself sane, I planned a big trip,” Rosenberg said. He cast about for ideas and just kept coming back to consider a bike trip. “I was not a bike rider–I had to buy the bike to do this,” he added.

So Rosenberg began talking to friends about it and was put in touch with a friend’s cousin who had done an earlier ride to benefit the women of Kore. The idea felt right. “To me, it made a lot of sense to do the Ride for Kore,” Rosenberg said. ‘The Ride for Kore’ helps set up individual Ethiopian women with the security, training and financing they need to start small businesses and be self-supporting. The business-training aspect particularly resonated with Rosenberg as he headed toward business school. “It was such a perfect parallel for me I knew I had to do it,” he said.

The Training Process

In March of 2017 Rosenberg bought the bike and began to train in his New York City apartment for an hour each morning. “I was more or less sitting on my bike watching Netflix,” he said.

His upbringing in Chappaqua had prepared him to take on a long ride. “Chappaqua is definitely a town where endurance sports are big–at least they were in my life,” Rosenberg said. “I was a cross-country runner in high school so I definitely thought it’s not how fast you go as much as how long you go.”

On April 29 of this year Rosenberg began his journey. Unlike most road bikers in our area, his bike is laden with four panniers (“they’re basically saddlebags like a motorcyclist or a horseback rider would have,” he said), a sleeping mat, a tent and a place to view maps up front. That’s how he navigates–with maps provided by the Adventure Cycling Association. He pitches his tent in parks where allowed, or in other more rustic locations, and occasionally sleeps in the basements of certain churches that are open to all.

Enjoying the Ride

Rosenberg generally rides six to seven hours a day. “It sounds a bit boring but it’s incredible. You are powering yourself so every inch you go is up to you. I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy each ride,” he said. “I thought that what would get me through would be music or podcasts but mostly I just listen to the sounds of nature.” When he does turn to technology for a little entertainment, Rosenberg’s favorites include NPR, classic rock and Jack Reacher novels.

Besides the ride, Rosenberg also said he enjoyed meeting so many friendly people from all across the land. “I have become such a big fan of this country, not that I wasn’t before,” he said. “Once you get out here everyone is incredibly friendly and so many people have gone out of their way to help me” with advice, dinners and even places to stay. “I’m very thankful,” Rosenberg added.

But while he’s enjoyed seeing the country, Rosenberg is clear about the main benefit of his voyage. “This ride is for Kore,” he said. “That’s the stated mission.” Rosenberg will be accepting donations at rideforkore.com for a while following the completion of his journey, which is scheduled to end on or around July 27. At press time, he had raised more than $15,000 toward his goal.

Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester Board Honored with Inaugural Philanthropic Leadership Award

March 31, 2016 by The Inside Press

Photo/Tom O’Connell (from L to R) Westchester County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz, BGCNW board members Emily Stoddard and Todd Rockefeller, BGCNW CEO Alyzza Ozer, BGCNW board member Bonnie Trotta, Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett, BGCNW board members Skip Beitzel, Stuart Marwell and BGCNW Board President Erik Kaeyer.

Tarrytown, N.Y. (March 9, 2016) – For the first time in Westchester County, the Association of Development Officers (ADO) awarded a select group of long-time board members from the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester with the Board Philanthropic Leadership Award at the 2016 Philanthropy Awards breakfast at Abigail Kirsch at The Tappan Hill Mansion on March 9.

The award was given to an extraordinary group of long-time board members who served together on the board of the Club, successfully pooling their philanthropic and volunteer efforts in support of the Club’s mission to improve the lives of youth in the community.

Honoree Stuart Marwell, President and CEO of Curtis Instruments, Inc. and himself a Club kid, stated that the board honorees “as a team have an average of 24 years of service with the Club because we believe fervently in its mission. It is indeed our privilege to serve.”

CEO Alyzza Ozer noted, “It is a rare occasion and a brilliant reflection on our community to have a collection of intelligent, powerful, effective generous board members making such a significant impact. The lives of kids have been improved in so many ways for generations to come because of the hard work of these community leaders.”

This incredible impact is evidenced by 2015 Youth of the Year Nethmi DeSilva’s description of her Club experience: “The Club is my second home where I learned that I have a voice. Thanks to the Club I have found my passion for helping the youth of the future.”

The board will next celebrate the mission and accomplishments of the Club at the 22^nd Annual Humanitarian Award Dinner on June 4, 2016 at the Hilton Westchester in Rye. The Club will honor local restaurateur and philanthropist Leslie Lampert of Love Hospitality and long-time Club Aquatic Director Dennis Munson for their service and devotion to the Club.

The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester is located at 351 Main Street, Mt. Kisco, NY and may be reached at 914-666-8069 or by visiting www.bgcnw.com. For the latest news, photos and updates, please “like” the Club on www.facebook.com/BGCNW.

About the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester

The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives youth in the community through quality programs designed to enhance their lives through education, athletics and social interaction. Established in 1939, the Club is committed to serving all children, ages 3-18, including the economically disadvantaged, the learning disabled and the physically challenged, with an emphasis on meeting the needs of at-risk adolescents, ages 10-18 years old. The mission of the Club is to inspire and enable young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Annually, the Club lovingly serves 60,000 free meals and provides programming to over 1,200 youth from all throughout Westchester.

The Generosity of Our Local Businesses

September 1, 2015 by The Inside Press

Enjoying the Chappaqua School Foundation Fundraiser: (L-R) David and Jenifer Gefsky, Bill Wachtell, Annie Zabar, Fran Flamino and Rachel Rader

By Madeline Finesmith

Residents of New Castle cannot fail to notice the philanthropic spirit that thrives here. All you have to do is drive through the town of Chappaqua on a typical day and you will see banners across Greeley, signs in stores, or postings on Instagram or Facebook about the current fundraising activities. Have you ever focused upon how much of that fundraising involves the generosity and involvement of our local business community?

Our businesses support our causes in ways big and small, some going to extraordinary lengths to help us make good things happen. Evan’s Team receives not just in-kind donations of signage, but also organizational services for the information that needs to be collected from its sponsors.

Robert Fuhrer, an Evan’s Team Board member, says that when a large fundraising effort is held, people only see the finished product. However there is a lot of organizational work that goes into it, and our businesses help us with that work. It is those incredible types of intangible services that no one knows about, that truly demonstrate the philanthropic nature of our business community.

Some of our largest community events simply could not happen without the support of our business community. The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, now in its third year, is a prime example of that. Chappaqua’s businesses provide a majority of the outright cash funding needed to rent the tents, tables and other costs of the festival. Publicity services help draw in thousands of attendees. The stores hold pre-festival events to raise awareness and excitement for the festival. There is now even a permanent mural on the side of a downtown building!

Our businesses have made a huge impact on our children’s education through their support of the Chappaqua School Foundation.

Started in 2011 in a difficult economic environment, CSF’s Spring Madness Program involves both a discount program and silent auction. Hundreds of businesses now participate, directly resulting in grants for educational innovation. David Gefsky, President of CSF, says that the community at large should be aware of the enormous gratitude and appreciation that is owed to our local businesses for their ongoing support.

Their participation helps the CSF to help channel the communities’ generosity into our schools.

Our businesses team up with us to help raise money for our causes. Restaurants allow us to use their facilities at little or no profit to themselves, sometimes setting aside whole areas of their property for weekly events. Stores host events to raise money for specific local organizations.

Sometimes they even come to the charities to suggest events, not the other way around. Sometimes the stores make things happen by strategizing with an organization how to hold their event. The organization, publicity and funding for these events are all time consuming tasks that require serious effort on the part of our businesses.

There are many other examples of how our business community gets involved with our causes. The point is, we are in a symbiotic relationship. They need our patronage, and we rely on their support to help make our community a vibrant and meaningful place to live.

But what is clear is that as a whole, our business community has become our partner in philanthropy. They not only give materially, but also have also become involved on a deeper level by making our causes their own.

Madeline Finesmith lives with her husband, son and two cats in Chappaqua where she has been a resident for 13 years. With a background in tax consulting, Madeline currently serves as the Chair of the Bell Middle School PTA and the Assistant Executive Director of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.

Two Westchester Families Recognized by the UJA for “Making a Difference”

April 17, 2015 by The Inside Press

Via a UJA Federation of New York Release:

(From left) Tina Price, Caryl Orlando, and Nina Ross, all of Scarsdale

More than 350 guests joined UJA-Federation of New York’s Westchester Region as it honored the Beckman family of Scarsdale and the Rieger family of Bedford. At this Westchester Celebration, Yoav Cohen of White Plains was recognized for his contributions as Westchester’s first shaliach, or Israeli emissary, who serves as a cultural bridge between the local community and Israel.

The event took place on April 14 at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, where guests came together as a community to applaud the achievements of the honorees for their committed leadership in the Westchester Jewish community and to support UJA-Federation and its network of nearly 100 local and global nonprofits.

The evening’s theme focused on the families’ legacy of transmitting values — including commitment to their Jewish heritage, philanthropy, caring for those in need, and collective responsibility — and recognized the honorees for their dedication to making a difference through their actions.

“In the rich narrative of Jewish history, the Beckmans and Riegers continued the chain by passing these meaningful values to their children,” said UJA-Federation’s Westchester Regional Chair Martine Fleishman of Purchase. She encouraged guests to view an exhibit at the event, a colorful timeline that showcased UJA-Federation’s response to the events that have shaped the Jewish community around the world.

“You’ll see that UJA-Federation’s history may very well mirror your family history in many ways,” she continued. “For nearly 100 years, we’ve responded in times of challenge — during the Great Depression, the darkness of the Holocaust, and the Six-Day War — and in times of joy and opportunity, such as the establishment of the State of Israel and the opening of the Iron Curtain to Soviet Jews.”

An interactive drumming experience kicked off the program and enlivened the evening.

(From left) Honorees Richard and Heidi Rieger of Bedford, Yoav Cohen of White Plains, and Shari and Joel Beckman of Scarsdale

Shari and Joel Beckman, who were honored with their sons, Steven and Jacob, have embraced the values of UJA-Federation for the past 30 years. Shari has served the organization in many capacities, including as Scarsdale area chair and as a member of both the Board of Directors and the Westchester Program Services Cabinet, which provides funding to programs that further the Westchester Jewish community’s efforts to address needs and support new approaches to successful models. Shari’s professional career as a college advisor to high school students has extended to volunteer opportunities, such as working with the Off the Street program, which is run by UJA-Federation beneficiary agency Westchester Jewish Community Services.

Co-founder of Greenbriar Equity Group, a private equity firm in Rye, Joel serves on the Board of Directors for UJA-Federation and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. A past board member of theJewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester, he is vice-chairman of the Chordoma Foundation and active in other philanthropic organizations.

Recognized with their daughters, Rebecca, Hillary, and Abigail, Heidi and Richard Rieger have devoted much of their lives to supporting the Jewish people. A member of UJA-Federation’s Board of Directors, Heidi is a founding member of The Neshamot Fund – Westchester Women’s Venture Philanthropy of UJA-Federation. A certified social worker with a part-time practice in Northern Westchester, shecurrently sits on the boards of the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, Facing History and Ourselves, Clal, The Jewish Education Project, and The Blue Card. Richard serves as a senior advisor to Kingdon Capital. He serves on the board of the University Settlement House, the Photography Committee at MoMA, and the board of trustees at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School.

As shaliach, Yoav Cohen has built bridges and fostered understanding between the community and Israel. Born in Johannesburg, Yoav lived in South Africa until the age of 12, when he moved to Israel. He served in the IDF as a platoon commander and fitness trainer. Following his service, he worked in Israel’s high-tech sector at software giant SAP and then in the academic world at IDC Herzliya. He also co-founded friendasoldier.com, an innovative dialogue website connecting former IDF soldiers with the rest of the world.

(From left) Lois Kohn-Claar of Scarsdale, Tracey Bilski of Chappaqua, and Anita Greenwald of Armonk

The gathering also heard from Eric S. Goldstein, UJA-Federation’s CEO. “Westchester is an extraordinary philanthropic community,” he told the gathering. Speaking to the honorees, he added, “You represent the best of this community, and we’re grateful to you.”

Mindy and Andrew Feldman of Harrison, Janie and Adam Frieman of New Rochelle, Anita and Richard Greenwald of Armonk, Michele and Judah Kraushaar of Chappaqua, Randi and Dan Kreisler of Pleasantville, and Nancy and Robert Rieger of Rye served as event chairs.

About UJA-Federation of New York

For more than 95 years, UJA-Federation has inspired New Yorkers to act on their values and invest in our community for the biggest impact. Through UJA-Federation, more than 50,000 donors address issues that matter most to them, pooling their resources to care for New Yorkers of all backgrounds and Jews everywhere, to connect people to their Jewish communities, and to respond to crises close to home and around the globe. Working with nearly 100 beneficiary agencies, synagogues, and other Jewish organizations, UJA-Federation is the world’s largest local philanthropy; our reach spans from New York to Israel to more than 70 other countries around the world, touching 4.5 million people each year. For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please visit our website at www.ujafedny.org.