Saving and Giving with a Donor Advised Fund

From generation to generation, l’dor v’dor. Donna Yanowitz lives that motto. Along with her late husband, Bennett, she taught her children and grandchildren the value of saving and giving. For Donna, being philanthropic is made easier through her Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and the Yanowitz Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.

She sat down with us recently to talk about philanthropy through the Federation. At 93, Donna is fully able to navigate through the online system to select the organizations she wants to support:

Q – What are the benefits of using the online DAF system?

A – For me, it’s amazing because I’m not physically able to write checks anymore. I can simply do it on my computer, which I’m able to still see. And if I make a mistake, I know a Federation professional will work with me to fix the error. It’s convenient and I don’t have to send out a bunch of envelopes. I enjoy giving that way. The online system is great and conducive to giving. The real benefits are that everything is in one place and Federation takes care of it all.

Q – Why do you donate money through Federation?

A – Going through the Federation – it is a trustworthy organization that does their homework and knows the organizations I want to support. They just know how to do it. And I think they know who needs what – they give me advice on who needs help. I think Federated giving is the best way to give money. I look to them for advice and for what and where I should recommend grants.

Q – What have your children and grandchildren learned about donating through Federation?

A – Having a donor advised fund at Federation is an excellent way to introduce children to philanthropic giving. Also, when we began our Foundation, our grandchildren would keep track of what we were spending. They came to it when they were very young. That was Bennett’s philosophy from the very beginning – he was a marvelous teacher and I picked it up from him and I passed that along to our children and grandchildren.

To learn more about opening a Donor Advised Fund, contact Janet Shapiro at jshapiro@jcfcleve.org or 216-593-2875.