Profile makes sure that philanthropy
in Israel is effective and efficient.
Our Projects and Services
For a clear idea of some of the projects in which we have been involved, here is a partial list:
A donor who has been giving money to two major charities in Israel recently approached us for some advice. One of these charities helps mentally handicapped adults integrate into society by teaching them basic professional skills, such as sewing, making jewelry, gardening, and even hothouse cultivation. In the end, these adults develop their skills and are able to make a living for themselves.
The other charity is for girls who have been sexually or physically abused. It teaches them to stand up for themselves by learning martial arts. Many of these girls go on to enter competitions or even become instructors themselves. This project does not just aim to teach the girls self-defense or give them a career opportunity. By learning these skills, these girls reclaim their self-esteem and are able to rebuild their lives.
The donor felt that the money she donated for these projects would be better used if both of these charities did not have to pay high rental costs every month. She therefore asked Profile to help her with a project to invest $1.5m in a building that both charities could use as permanent premises. This would save both of them the cost of rent, as they would then be able to use the building for free.
Profile helped the donor to save $200,000 on the purchase of the building. Since this transaction was completed, both charities can now channel much more of their resources into the help that they give other people. The donor is also very happy to see her money being used even more efficiently.
Philanthropists from the United States recently asked Profile for advice regarding their donations to a library in Israel. They had been giving generously to the library for many years in the memory of their grandparents. The idea behind their donations was to provide free books for the students of a particular school. However, the library’s administration, which works on a volunteer basis, was so overworked that it never had the time to give specific details of what the library actually needed. The donors therefore asked Profile to find out exactly what was required to improve the library’s services and function more efficiently. Since Profile became involved, the library has acquired new furniture and has increased its number of staff, enabling it to provide a much better service.
A mixed school in Israel for children with problems such as ADHD and learning difficulties, or who come from dysfunctional backgrounds and find it too hard to attend regular high schools, regularly receives donations from a philanthropist in the United States. However, this donor, who became the school’s main supporter, began to feel that it was absorbing a lot of resources without knowing how to make the best use of them. Even though the school is run by a top educational staff, its administration became overwhelmed with the day-to-day organizational work.
The donor asked Profile to help the school become more organized. We therefore called in our own accountant to examine its financial situation. Profile also hired a professional general administrator for the school. After interviewing many candidates, we gave the position to a former secretary of the Minister of Social Affairs. She became very dedicated to the school, and managed to organize its administration, making it much more efficient, building up its connections with the government. The donor was very pleased to see the radical improvement in the running of the school. Its educators could now concentrate even more on working with the children, giving them the individual love and care that they deserve. The results are very clear. Many of the school’s graduates go on to serve in the most elite units in the army. Others become teachers themselves, and return to the school to help other children from similar backgrounds.
Previously, the school was very dependent on this particular donor’s support. With Profile’s assistance, the school is now in a position where it has sufficient connections and can help itself.
A religious woman in the United States who is very impressed by Profile’s precise, honest way of working asked Doug Goldstein to help her with a project to assist the former residents of Gush Katif. She wanted to give a donation of $0.5m, to be shared among the families in the form of cash payments. That way, each family could buy whatever it needed most.
Profile put the money into a trust account, from where it was divided among 140 families. The donor had mentioned specific former communities from Gush Katif. Profile contacted the leaders of these communities, who supplied a list of families. Each family then received an individual cash donation.
The Jewish Tribune in Toronto was very impressed by the donor’s generosity and the way in which she wished to help. She insisted on remaining anonymous, and did not want anyone to thank her. At Profile’s suggestion, she dedicated the donation to the memory of her parents.
Subsequently, this donor was approached to give a donation of NIS 50,000 to an organization that provides Shabbos meals to families at the caravilla site in Nitzan, where conditions are still very poor and many people have not yet found employment. Profile researched this organization, and gave the donor sound advice on the best way to provide assistance. Profile also asked for a list of products that the organization needs. As this organization provides everything, from diapers and baby formula to nutritious meals and household goods, the list came to more than NIS 50,000.
Profile contacted a large supermarket chain in Jerusalem for help. Its owners were so impressed by the idea that they were only too happy to supply everything that the organization needed at a NIS 10,000 discount. Profile also convinced the supermarket chain to deliver the goods to Nitzan, which is a 90-minute drive from Jerusalem, saving the organization huge transportation costs. In the end, the donor only needed to give this project NIS 40,000, which was used in the best possible way.
However, the donor did not simply save her money. She gave the remaining NIS 10,000 to another worthy cause. A woman in Sderot, the scene of the recent Kassem rocket attacks, was forced to give up her job because she had to be with her frightened children during the air raids. When the donor heard about this, she gave her the remaining NIS 10,000. The recipient was very grateful for the sudden and unexpected help at such a difficult time.
These are only some of the projects and causes in which Profile Family Office has played a part, and our list of activities only continues to grow …
