Keeping the Lights On

Help the J receive matching funds!

A Note from Mark and Mary Grove

You may have seen us around the J – we’re in almost every day, sometimes twice! We’ve been members for almost 30 years, and while our health insurance plan would cover the cost of our membership at some other fitness centers in the city, we stay at the J for one main reason: the people.

Whether it’s a friendly greeting from staff, a wave from the babies in the ECE carts, or conversations with fellow members who take the time to visit and chat, the warmth of this community is unlike any other.

We enjoy the diversity of the membership, whether in age, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, or faith tradition. It is apparent to us that all feel welcome, and everyone seems to make an effort to make others feel that as well.

We appreciate the generosity of members in supporting the J. We’ve been honored to serve as members of the J Cares committee, looking for ways to help extend the reach of the J beyond the campus, such as the Thanksgiving Turkey Drive and gathering books and snacks so appreciated by our neighbors. Another example of the J’s sense of community is the Hand in Hand campaign, an important collaborative fundraiser that helps so many members who need assistance in meeting the costs of membership and programs like summer camp.

Because the J has given so much to us, we give to the J, to help keep the lights on and allow other families to continue to attend. We recognize that dues only cover a relatively small portion of the costs of running the facility and the programs and activities it offers. We are lucky enough to be in a position to provide financial support to the J beyond the cost of our membership and making a year-end gift has become part of our annual charitable giving. We hope you’ll join us in helping the J receive a full matching gift, and hope you have a wonderful winter holiday season.

A Note from Helen Goldstein

The J made a huge impact on my children and helped them live successful adult lives. I attribute the aftercare program, the camp program, the School’s Out Days and their growing up at the J to helping set the foundation for them to have the confidence to achieve what they’ve achieved. They lived here, they grew up here.

I attribute part of their success to their comfort, their feeling at home here, a place for them to come to and meet friends. They had our home, they had our family, they had the J.

I feel that it’s important that other kids feel the same way they did. I want other families, other working parents like us to have their kids have a place where they feel safe and confident and have the programming to develop. I want to give them the same chance my kids had.

Please join me in remembering the J as we close out 2022. Matching funds are available, so your gift will count double! Thank you in advance for your consideration, and I wish you a very happy holiday season.

A Note from Pat Corsi

I’ve been a longtime member of the J, and I feel it’s an outstanding asset for our community, particularly the surrounding neighborhoods. It’s a place where people of all races, religions, and athletic abilities can come together in a safe environment to build their bodies and build relationships. That’s why I have the JCC on my list of continuing not-for-profits to support, and I hope you’ll join me in helping the J receive a full matching gift. Happy holidays!

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Hanna Fogel