Every donation makes a tremendous difference
'We can all make that difference, each of us in a different way – some in a more global sense and some closer to home.'
At this time of year, charity fundraising offices around Australia are hives of activity – the phones are “hopefully” ringing and email inboxes ping notifying us of online donations – and an internet outage would be unthinkable.
The professionals and volunteers powering towards the end of June are all focused on a single goal – reaching our EOFY fundraising targets. It’s reaching those targets that gets us out of bed after an already very busy few months – doing what we do with a vision for community continuity, with a love for those we help and with a passion to make a difference.
We can all make that difference, each of us in a different way – some in a more global sense and some closer to home. Like here, for our local Jewish community in NSW and ACT working at JCA where we support 25 organisations and circa 45,000+ community members. Together with JCA, these organisations’ critical communal services and programs ensure that we as a Jewish community remain strong, safe, inclusive, vibrant, thriving and connected.
So, how do we continue to make this happen? We tirelessly canvass, call and mail our donors with compelling pleas and cases for support – we tell you why our community matters and why your donation, no matter the amount, can make a huge difference.
As I write this – we are just under a week from the end of the financial year – a crucial point for any not-for-profit. Depending on where we are in our target, it prompts me to ask what motivates people to give – what is the impetus to donate?
In many cases, it’s the desire to uphold the values of the generation that came before us. However, we’re starting to see that it’s a personal connection to a cause or charity they are supporting. They desire to fund something they’re familiar with and feel invested in fixing or innovating.
A recent study done in the United States found that there were three main factors in the decision to give – an increase in donor passion, an increase in the need for donations and an increase in the relevance of the cause, with 60 per cent of new donors giving to fresh causes when they see a pressing need in the news or in response to a timely appeal from an organisation, cause or individual.
As our community embarks on the chapter post-COVID, we are so fortunate that over the years we have had people and families investing in us, allowing us to have the means and infrastructure where we are not in crisis fundraising mode on an annual basis.
However, this puts us in the position – good or bad, depending on how you look at it – that we aren’t in crisis fundraising mode – we are a strong community that relies annually on each other to care, to be safe and to maintain a strong presence politically, physically and socially in the Australian community.
With the financial year end upon us, I want to thank all the donors who have supported JCA and our local Jewish community this year. We’ve just tipped over the $9 million mark from over 2000 donors. And whilst this is a fantastic place to be and something we are tremendously grateful for, we need to recognise that this is behind where we’d like to be a week before the financial year-end.
At the time of going to print, we need to raise at least another million dollars, and I’d like to see another 1000 donors coming out to support JCA and our local Jewish community.
It’s a challenging year for many people with the state of the economy and rising interest rates. But we need your help. Some people in our community have already felt the pain; we know this will only increase. Please support JCA and your local Jewish community and help us support those in our community with nowhere else to go.
I often hear from donors that a perceived small donation doesn’t matter. I’m here to tell you it does. Regardless of the quantum, every donation makes a tremendous difference in our community.
As CEO of what I think is one of our community’s most valuable assets – a fundraising organisation that supports all facets of our society and community – what would we do without each other?
So please come out and support JCA. No matter the amount, it all counts. Thank you. Be the reason why this year, we reach our target and fund the services and programs people rely on.
Alain Hasson is the CEO of JCA. Donate to JCA’s 2023 campaign: jca.org.au or call (02) 9360 2344.
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