Comments on: The Unknown Value of ‘Free’ http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-unknown-value-of-free/ Connect. Educate. Innovate. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:13:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Deborah Coltin http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-unknown-value-of-free/comment-page-1/#comment-46194 Deborah Coltin Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:21:32 +0000 http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/?p=3957#comment-46194 The philosophy of the Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation (www.rilcf.org) is to provide free programs for Jewish children, teens and younger, and their families, everything from free PJ Library books, to Shabbat dinners to a fully subsidized community teen trip to Israel. After being victimized by Madoff, we have to raise funds to continue our programming. Amazingly in 2009 we raised nearly one million dollars to keep going. "Free programs" had a lot to do with it. People are giving back for getting something so precious and valuable. Deborah Coltn Executive Director The philosophy of the Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation (www.rilcf.org) is to provide free programs for Jewish children, teens and younger, and their families, everything from free PJ Library books, to Shabbat dinners to a fully subsidized community teen trip to Israel. After being victimized by Madoff, we have to raise funds to continue our programming. Amazingly in 2009 we raised nearly one million dollars to keep going. “Free programs” had a lot to do with it. People are giving back for getting something so precious and valuable.

Deborah Coltn
Executive Director

]]> By: Mordecai http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-unknown-value-of-free/comment-page-1/#comment-46153 Mordecai Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:23:54 +0000 http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/?p=3957#comment-46153 As someone involved in post-birthright programming, I have found that our applicants are searching for programs based on 'lowest value,' regardless of content. Be it another trip to Israel, Spain or other. To their credit, they are willing to make a minimal investment to participate. What has changed is that the students expect that their investment should be matched or 'raised' by the organizer as a means to further entice the student. As the target audience ages, we as the organizers should be teaching them the idea of giving back. Instead we are giving in to them and feeding them with more programs that are virtually free. As someone involved in post-birthright programming, I have found that our applicants are searching for programs based on ‘lowest value,’ regardless of content. Be it another trip to Israel, Spain or other.
To their credit, they are willing to make a minimal investment to participate.
What has changed is that the students expect that their investment should be matched or ‘raised’ by the organizer as a means to further entice the student.
As the target audience ages, we as the organizers should be teaching them the idea of giving back. Instead we are giving in to them and feeding them with more programs that are virtually free.

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