Yesterday’s Campers, Today’s Donors

from JCC Circle:

Yesterday’s Campers, Today’s Donors

When Alex Budnitsky, the executive director of the Edith & Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, in Brooklyn, New York, wanted to find alumni of the JCH’s camp programs, he knew where to go to look. After all, they’re called the Facebook generation for a reason.

… The campaign called 18 on the 18th launched on April 18, with the goal to raise $18,000 before the start of the camp season. Budnitsky set up a mechanism so contributors could donate through the Facebook page. Within five days, they had received 26 contributions, and Budnitsky quickly realized the campaign would succeed.

The money raised helped more than thirty children go to camp and to the JCC Maccabi Games. In fact, one donor paid the total fee for a family’s children to attend camp. “It created a buzz in the community,” Budnitsky said. “People give to people they trust. We invited them to see what their money did, and they showed up.” For next year, they are starting earlier and doubling their goal.

The complete article can be found in JCC Winter Circle 2012, beginning on page 4.