Jewish Community Foundation-Great for Our Community
In Prescott Valley and the surrounding communities, there is an organization, the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF), who has stepped up in so many ways over the years to make a major difference in our community. Established twenty years ago, JCF began as an all-volunteer philanthropic organization with a goal to make a difference in the community through matching donors with organizations in need. Based on tzedakah (Hebrew for charity) and the belief of performing a mitzvah (good deed in Hebrew) the JCF was formed. This year the organization provided $220,000 in grants to many local charitable organizations, which is significantly more than its first round of recipients, who received $2,500 in total.
As Christine Resnick, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Foundation stated “We aren’t just writing organizations checks, we do our due diligence, and work with them or partner with them. We have a grants committee that goes out and does homework on these organizations to make sure that the non-profit is right for our donors and that our donors are happy with the impact that they’ve made on these organizations through us.”
Through this process JCF is doing more than giving money, they are building partnerships, helping these organizations gain traction and get them to think a bit bigger than they were to help them be successful.
The Jewish Community Foundation has been affiliated with many fundraisers and has funded education, social services, elderly resources in the community. Recently they funded The Creative Media Lab at Prescott High School and last year they funded $45 thousand for band instruments at Granite Mountain Middle School. They have also funded a new van for Coalition for Compassion and Justice and have funded the American Red Cross on their Home Fire Campaign. The JCF has been a sponsor for the Dancing for the Stars event in past years and has helped to fund the Chino Valley Education Foundation for their Hungry Kids Project. Currently, they are in the process of working with Prescott Valley Performing Arts Center to fund the building of the only free-standing children’s theatre in Northern Arizona.
In addition to its annual grants cycle, the JCF has various long term initiatives that have made a substantial ongoing impact in our community and nationwide:
Healthcare Scholars Program – The JCF has partnered with various organizations to provide nursing and radiology tech students scholarships at Yavapai College. The program recently graduated its 100th scholar and over 90% of the graduates have stayed within the Quad City area in their respective fields of study. This has helped serve our community’s healthcare needs, despite the national shortage of nurses.
What you do Matters, Lessons of the Holocaust – A nationwide educational program geared towards law enforcement profession (judges, attorneys, police officers, etc) to teach about the lessons of the Holocaust and the slippery slope for which law enforcement went along with authorities to carry out the horrific events of the Holocaust. The JCF works directly with the Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC and Shiela Polk, Yavapai County Attorney has helped facilitate these lessons.
In Jewish belief, there is a higher honor of donating without receiving recognition so many donors prefer to do so anonymously. This doesn’t mean that only those in the Jewish Community can participate, however. Anyone who wishes to volunteer or donate is welcomed with open arms. To learn more about the Jewish Community Foundation and how you can help, please visit their website or email to [email protected] or [email protected].