This year, the Jewish Community Foundation’s J-LEAD program is celebrating 20 years of impactful grantmaking in the Kansas City Jewish community.
Since 2006, J-LEAD (Jewish Leadership, Education, Action and Development) members have collectively granted more than $550,000 to support communal organizations and programs.
To honor this impressive milestone, the Foundation is hosting a special J-LEAD 20th Anniversary Party and Grants Celebration on June 4 at 7 p.m. at Chicken N Pickle in Overland Park, Kansas.
“We are so proud to be leading J-LEAD in its 20th year,” said Becky Barnett and Abby Lane, J-LEAD co-chairs. “Many new members have joined for the first time, our grantmaking has been stronger than ever, and the program continues to grow and make an impact.”
J-LEAD is a giving circle for adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. By pooling together resources and collectively making grant decisions, J-LEAD members are able to achieve a greater good than any one member could alone. Members may join for a $500 charitable contribution, and for a limited time, new members may join for only $250.
In addition to increasing the impact of their philanthropy, J-LEAD allows members to forge meaningful connections within the Jewish community. Through collective decision-making and volunteer and social activities, J-LEAD members engage with peers who share their passion for making a difference. The program also offers educational resources and opportunities for members to deepen their understanding of philanthropy, Jewish values and community needs. Over the years, more than 250 community members have participated in J-LEAD. After their participation, many members have gone on to hold prominent leadership positions in the community and have become more thoughtful and strategic philanthropists.
“Over 20 years ago, Lauren Mattleman Hoopes, the head of the Jewish Community Foundation, approached me about starting a giving circle for young professionals in the Kansas City Jewish community,” said founding J-LEAD member Greg Wolf. “I enthusiastically accepted the challenge and recruited a group of young Jewish professionals to build this concept. The goals were and continue to be giving young Jewish professionals exposure to various Jewish charitable organizations and a voice as to which institutions would receive J-LEAD grants. Twenty years later, I am incredibly proud to see that J-LEAD continues to make a positive impact on young Jewish professionals’ lives, as well helping address the needs in our Jewish community.”
For more information about J-LEAD or the 20th anniversary party, contact Suzanne Galblum Dicken at or (913) 327-8286.
