Steve & Ilene Berger Family Foundation

Winston Churchill profoundly shared, “You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.”  It is in this vein, that we have established the Steve & Ilene Berger Family Foundation (the “Foundation”).  While our philanthropic giving has benefitted many worthwhile causes and individuals, it has even more significantly shaped our own lives, giving us deeper meaning and purpose.  Through the establishment of the Family Foundation, we strive to develop this charitable tradition by creating a multigenerational continuity of philanthropic giving.

The Purpose

The purpose of the Foundation is to help people live better, longer and more meaningful lives.  We strive to promote, advocate and support our philanthropic values and causes that speak to our sensibilities.  By choosing projects and grant recipients who are ambitious, and results driven, it is our hope that the benefits will be witnessed during the lifetimes of those alive at the time a grant is made.

As a family, we are committed to leveraging our contributions to achieve a maximum and enduring impact on the causes we embrace. This can be achieved by using Foundation funds to elicit more funds, and by supporting causes for which the contributed funds will have far reaching financial, practical, ethical and/or communal benefits.  This goal is one grounded in the Jewish tenet of tzedakah, righteous behavior.  Helping one to become self-sufficient is considered the highest level of tzedakah.

Our intent is to guide the objectives of the Foundation through the following values that we hold most dear:

Education

We believe that a basic education that teaches young men and women how to enhance their knowledge on their own is of vital importance, as it will impact their ability to live meaningful, self-sufficient and fruitful lives.

Family

We believe that strong, healthy family relationships are the most significant influences in people’s lives and on the community at large.

Religion

We believe it is important that people have faith in an ethical religion.  We have a specific interest in supporting organizations that promote Israel advocacy.

Achievement

We support people and organizations that show promise of achieving positive, morally upstanding goals and impacting the world with tangible and measurable results to that end

Innovation

We value and respect people that think creatively and are passionate about their cause.  We appreciate people who strive to develop solutions and who think in an out of the box way to better serve their community.

Gratitude

Showing appreciation is a core value that we champion. We wish to give back to those people and organizations that have had a personal impact on our family, community, and nation.
  • Education

  • We believe that a basic education that teaches young men and women how to enhance their knowledge on their own is of vital importance, as it will impact their ability to live meaningful, self-sufficient and fruitful lives.

  • Family

  • We believe that strong, healthy family relationships are the most significant influences in people’s lives and on the community at large.

  • Religion

  • We believe it is important that people have faith in an ethical religion.  We have a specific interest in supporting organizations that promote Israel advocacy.

  • Achievement

  • We support people and organizations that show promise of achieving positive, morally upstanding goals and impacting the world with tangible and measurable results to that end

  • Innovation

  • We value and respect people that think creatively and are passionate about their cause.  We appreciate people who strive to develop solutions and who think in an out of the box way to better serve their community.

  • Gratitude

  • Showing appreciation is a core value that we champion. We wish to give back to those people and organizations that have had a personal impact on our family, community, and nation.

Grant Criteria

Accountability

We expect to receive genuine quantitative feedback from grant recipients, so we can clearly ascertain, understand, and evaluate the benefits realized. Being able to personally witness the benefits realized by the grant is ideal.

Passion

We value that grant recipients feel passionate and devoted to the cause they serve.

Collaboration

We strongly encourage grant recipients to collaborate with other organizations to achieve their goals when doing so can expand and further their success.

Impact

We strive to financially assist an organization or project at a level that will have a holistic and transformative impact.

Optimizing Charitable Dollars

We endeavor to maximize the benefit of every dollar shared and we firmly believe in leveraging the benefit when we consider giving a grant.  In other words, we expect that the results of each grant dollar will have far reaching effects.
  • Accountability

  • We expect to receive genuine quantitative feedback from grant recipients, so we can clearly ascertain, understand, and evaluate the benefits realized. Being able to personally witness the benefits realized by the grant is ideal.

  • Passion

  • We value that grant recipients feel passionate and devoted to the cause they serve.

  • Collaboration

  • We strongly encourage grant recipients to collaborate with other organizations to achieve their goals when doing so can expand and further their success.

  • Impact

  • We strive to financially assist an organization or project at a level that will have a holistic and transformative impact.

  • Optimizing Charitable Dollars

  • We endeavor to maximize the benefit of every dollar shared and we firmly believe in leveraging the benefit when we consider giving a grant.  In other words, we expect that the results of each grant dollar will have far reaching effects.

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