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January 10, 2003
CJA boosts community
$200,000 extra will go to vital programs and services.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
Vital community programs and services will receive a $200,000 boost
in 2003 thanks to a Combined Jewish Appeal (CJA) campaign that raised
approximately $300,000 more than last year.
Every two years, based on the success of previous years' campaigns,
the CJA allocations committee designates guaranteed funding, designated
at "level 1," for almost 60 community programs and services.
However, some of the programs are also allocated as level 2 funding,
which would only be provided if a campaign raised more money than
originally expected. This year's CJA campaign reached the goal of
$4.5 million, allowing the entire $200,000 that was designated for
level 2 funding this year to be distributed. The other $100,000
will be sent overseas, where one third of all the CJA-raised funds
go, to be distributed by the United Israel Appeal Federations Canada.
More than half of the level 2 funding will go to Jewish Family Service
Agency programming, specifically for poverty relief. Other programs
or services that will receive significant boosts include Vancouver
Hillel programs and services for the Simon Fraser University campus,
community-wide youth programming and leadership development via
the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver (JFGV).
The successful CJA campaign concluded just six months after the
community raised approximately $2.3 million for the Israel Now and
Forever campaign, bringing the 2002 community fund-raising effort,
under the umbrella of the JFGV, to more than $6.8 million.
JFGV executive director Mark Gurvis said the success in 2002 can
be attributed to two things: well-organized campaigns and the community's
concern for Jews all around the world.
"I think people probably reacted to a heightened sense of concern
about the place and security of Jews in the world and the recognition
that perhaps we need to be standing together more strongly,"
he said.
"We had quite an outstanding year in this community,"
added Mitchell Gropper, who co-chaired the CJA campaign with Bette-Jane
Israels. "When we went to people [during the Israel Now and
Forever campaign] we said that we were campaigning for Israel and
this wasn't to impact the regular campaign in the fall. So we already
had people thinking about their CJA donations."
Gurvis said it was hard to predict how the momentum might carry
over for next year's CJA campaign and suggested that world events
in the year to come could play a significant role, as they did this
year. However, he added, he is confident that the community has
the resources available to continue to improve on the annual fund-raising
effort.
"The reality is that the community moved from raising just
under $4.2 million to raising $6.8 million dollars this year,"
he said. "We certainly hope next year that we're not back to
$4.2 million and that we're somewhere closer to the $6.8 million,
but it's far too soon to tell. We've got to set the stage to build
on this year's success in a different kind of way."
Gurvis said that he is encouraged by the fact that Gropper and Israels
have both agreed to stay on as the leaders for next year's effort
as well.
"It really is a two-year job for people to get their arms around
it, think about what changes they want to make, have a chance to
institutionalize them and bring along new leadership," he said.
"[Their return] means that we are able to step right into the
next campaign."
Gropper said that, ultimately, it is not the co-chairs who deserve
the bulk of the credit when a campaign is successful.
"A great deal of gratitude and thanks has to be given to the
donors who responded generously and the more than 400 volunteers
involved in the CJA campaign," he said. "We're really
proud of this community."
Gropper added that 2002 included a net increase of approximately
350 more donors than they had in 2001.
For more information about the CJA or to make a donation, call 604-257-5100.
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