A Win-Win For All

A Charitable Gift Annuity supports your community and provides you with income for life.

By Ellen Ticktin

I worked at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland for almost a decade. I felt privileged to have been able to develop an insider’s look at everything the Federation does to support our community. I was proud of the reputation of excellence that pervades the beneficiary agencies. I was inspired by working on the Campaign for Jewish Needs with volunteers, as it allowed me to see first-hand how transformative that experience was for them. I felt lucky to have had the opportunity to work with so many members of our community towards a common goal.

I began thinking about creating a Jewish legacy just before my 70th birthday when I received mailings from multiple organizations asking for legacy gifts. I knew that I wanted to do something for the Federation, and I know that the Federation will continue to be here long into the future. I experienced the high standards of the organization: the emphasis on confidentiality and the way it treated its donors, and that all added up to a strong element of trust.

After sharing my philanthropic goals with Federation staff, I decided to create a Charitable Gift Annuity. I felt comfortable doing it because they gave me a detailed understanding of what it entailed. The process went perfectly; Federation staff kept me up to date and did a great job of staying in touch.

My experience has shown me that you do not have to be wealthy to be able to do something like this. If you are even thinking about it, I encourage you to reach out to the Federation to discuss it. My main motivation in creating a Charitable Gift Annuity was to be able to do something for the community — but receiving income for life and the tax benefits made it even more appealing! It is a win-win all around.

Meet Jennifer Schwarz

For more information, contact Jennifer Schwarz at 216-593-2816 or jschwarz@jcfcleve.org.