FEATURE STORY
Giving for Life: Philanthropy at Every Stage Jewish tradition views giving back as a universal obligation independent of time or circumstance. At the Jewish Community Foundation, we customize our philanthropic guidance for every donor, whatever their age or stage in life. From teaching families about financial literacy to helping identify charitable passions and advising on charitable estate planning, we’re here to serve our donors’ changing needs.
The Midlife Donor For donor Sandy Sigal, 59, The Foundation’s accessibility is central to its ongoing relevance for people across generations. “I have four children from ages 21 to 31, and we take an active approach to family giving, involving everyone in the process,” he says. “Our Donor Advised
Fund (DAF) at The Foundation makes it super easy to give. Putting money into it is straightforward and hassle-free.” Growing up as the son of a single mother in Van Nuys, Sigal learned the value of tzedakah early on. “My mom worked as a paralegal full-time to make ends meet. She’d head to her office before I left for school each morning and return well after I’d returned home each afternoon,” he recalls. With so much unsupervised time, Sigal had ample opportunity to get into trouble. But one day, having been caught stealing candy, he began to appreciate the transformative power of investing in a community. “In her desperation about what to do with me, my mom called The Jewish Federation, and they put her in touch with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles. I ended up spending two summers at the program’s Camp Max Straus [now Camp Bob Waldorf], and it changed my life,” he says.
Sandy Sigal leaving for Camp Max Straus in the 1970s. 4 jewishfoundationla.org