The Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) has hired Kara Kahn Bush as director of its new Bushman Legacy Initiative, a renewed community-wide effort to strengthen and sustain the Jewish community through a focus on planned giving.
The position and program have been funded through a multi-million-dollar grant from the Stanley J. Bushman Supporting Foundation, which will build upon the success of the Bushman Community Endowment (BCE) program which ran from 2008-2016. BCE put planned giving at the forefront of the communal agenda and raised millions of dollars in realized and future funding for Jewish agencies and synagogues.
Bush will oversee the development and implementation of the program, through which JCF will provide communal organizations with professional and lay leader training, prospect identification and cultivation, comprehensive marketing resources, access to stewardship events, and ongoing education and development support. The program will include substantial financial incentives to motivate best practices for securing legacy gifts and for donors to help realize their ability to make an impact. In addition to planned giving, Bush will promote JCF’s resources for the “Philanthropic Life Journey,” which includes educational touchpoints along life’s milestones such as marriage, starting a family, making an impact through tax-smart giving in peak earning years, and retirement planning.
“What drew me to this position was the chance to support impactful work across many different agencies,” Bush said. “I’m hopeful this initiative will continue to strengthen the Kansas City Jewish community that means so much to me and create lasting impact beyond it.”
Bush comes to JCF with a strong background in development and program management, having served most recently as the director of development at the Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy. She is a graduate of Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA) and the University of Kansas, where she was active in KU Hillel. Those experiences at HBHA and KU Hillel were both impactful in Bush’s life and, in addition to inspiring her to make this move into working at JCF, have engaged her as a volunteer for KU Hillel, Jewish Federation of Kansas City and other local causes.
“Our board enthusiastically believes that Kara’s professional experience, involvement in the Jewish community, engaging personality and belief in the mission will result in great success for the Bushman Legacy Initiative,” said Charles Helzberg, president of the Stanley J. Bushman Charitable Supporting Foundation.
Those interested in welcoming Bush or wanting more information about the Bushman Legacy Initiative can email to or call (913) 327-8120.