Warmest thanks to all of our individual and corporate donors who truly stepped up with your donations throughout last year, including 193 individuals and 43 companies giving The J a combined $238,246. In addition, The J earned nearly $800,000 in grants from a variety of sources.
“We knew that donations had been on a good trajectory throughout the year,” says Interim Executive Director Brooke Bowles. “But I was really blown away when we compared the results with 2021.”
A year-on-year comparison shows the number of individual donors to have increased by 60 percent over 2021, and total individual gifts up by nearly 200 percent compared to the previous year. Corporate donations increased by a whopping 385 percent.
“When it comes to our budget around here, you’ll still hear us reference the pandemic,” explains Brooke, who took the reins from Aimee Johnson last fall. “Because it’s important to remember that we lost 30 percent of our members during Covid. It was obviously a hard time for everyone, but The J almost didn’t make it. We’ve devoted a lot of effort to getting back to where we were.
“It’s been a challenge, but seeing this increase in giving is truly heartening,” she says.
A very good year
In addition to the just-completed Community Circle Campaign, fundraising highlights from the past year include the annual Jewish Food and Culture Fest, the inaugural J’la Gala, and the 46th annual Sam Lapidus Montclair Run. Top grants in 2022 came from GoodUse, the Daniel Foundation of Alabama, and Hill Crest Foundation.
We are also grateful for the support we received from our local partners, including United Way of Central Alabama, The Birmingham Jewish Federation, and The Birmingham Jewish Foundation.