The Arthur M. Blank Foundation in Atlanta, recently announced a $500,000 endowment gift to the Jewish Community Foundation for the purposes of funding half the annual cost of JFCS’ Jewish Career Services Program. The gift was made in honor of Arthur Blank’s brother, Michael Blank and his wife, Carmen.
In 2011, during the height of the recession, Michael Blank envisioned a service to help Jewish individuals in Phoenix who had lost their jobs and were experiencing a financial crisis. With initial gifts of $75,000 from the Arthur M. Blank Foundation and $25,000 from the Jewish Community Foundation, Jewish Career Services was established at JFCS to help newly unemployed Jews, particularly those in the hardest hit sectors such as real estate, engineering and information technology. The program’s main objective was not to provide a handout – but to give each individual the tools they needed to enhance their employability and secure gainful employment.
Michael Blank continued to financially support the JFCS Jewish Career Services through the Jewish Community Foundation over the next three years, which has resulted in more than 209 individuals receiving career coaching, resume assistance and help with their job search. The need and demand for these services has remained steady, particularly among those ages 40-60 who have been unsuccessful finding employment on their own. More than 40% of those receiving services have found employment at case closure, and those who are still job seeking report they are more prepared and confident they will find greater opportunities for employment.
Since the Jewish Community Foundation manages JFCS’ endowment funds, the grant to the JCF made perfect sense: the Foundation manages money using their financial management expertise and JFCS provides the program expertise. 602-279-7655 | info@jfcsaz.org | jfcsaz.org
