There’s no doubt about it. Former Kansas Citian Michael Staenberg is a premier philanthropist. For more than a decade, Staenberg and the Staenberg Family Foundation have contributed over $100 million to nonprofit organizations, as well as in-kind resources that are also valued at more than $100 million. The Jewish Community of Greater Kansas City — The J — is now one of the organizations benefitting from Staenberg’s financial support and expertise.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and now a longtime resident of St. Louis, Staenberg spent a considerable portion of the late 1970s and early 1980s with the Leo Eisenberg Company in Kansas City. It was there, at Eisenberg, that he followed in his father’s footsteps to embark on a career in commercial real estate. After opening Eisenberg’s St. Louis office in 1983, magic began to take shape — and not just the magic of business success. He turned that success into a remarkable tale of giving back to communities, to organizations and to the world.
Guided by the principles of tikkun olam, repairing the world, Staenberg launched the Staenberg Family Foundation, initially set up to benefit the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. From there, Staenberg’s philanthropical pursuits spread far and wide, fueled by the mounting accomplishments of his business ventures, which include co-founding THF Realty (standing for “To Have Fun”) and founding The Staenberg Group, a privately held company that has developed more than 200 shopping centers. A wide array of accolades ensued, including Businessperson of the Year, Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Man of the Year Award, a Legacy Award for impact on the community, Outstanding Philanthropists Award, United Way’s de Tocqueville Society Million-Dollar Roundtable Member and many more.
Staenberg’s history of giving is exemplified in areas ranging from supporting meaningful issues, causes and groups, to funding the improvement of communities’ physical assets. Thus, Staenberg, his wife Carol and the Foundation donated sizable sums and/or expertise to a variety of grateful recipients, including developing a youth technology and education center; renovating a tennis center; contributing $125,000 to a cancer center (his mother, Marlene, passed away from cancer); a charity bike race; a foundation gift to promote music appreciation for youth; a gift of $1 million to the arts; $100,000 to expand a Jewish food pantry; contributions to a new Chabad facility and redesign of the St. Louis Jewish Light newspaper; a $2 million foundation gift to Camp Sabra; and many more. More than 70 percent of the Staenbergs’ giving is allocated to Jewish causes within the local communities they support.
While these gifts centered on Staenberg’s local St. Louis community, there’s more to the story. And, his story now returns to greater Kansas City as well.
A passion for Jewish Community Centers
Staenberg is personally passionate about quality of life issues, particularly in the areas of education, the arts and health and wellness. With a vision of creating and maintaining a welcoming community gathering place, he has turned his attention to Jewish Community Centers, first in hometown St. Louis, then Denver and birthplace Omaha, and now to The J.
At the Jewish Community Centers in St. Louis, Denver and Omaha, Staenberg offered advice, and financial support, to generate immediate and long-term impact to the facilities and the community. In 2014, during a visit for the Jewish Omaha reunion, he toured the complex and felt that the J there had “lost its mojo.” A complete renovation ensued with significant updates to their fitness center, gym, pools and lobby. Staenberg and his team worked with the Omaha J’s leaders to not only provide needed and visible updates, but to also contribute to the process of making that J financially sustainable for the future, with advice and consultation. With the most recent improvements spearheaded by Staenberg, the Omaha J was revitalized and has seen incredible growth. The next phase of upgrades to The Omaha J is forthcoming.
A similar approach was undertaken at The Denver Jewish Community Center to impact areas that needed renovation, with the objective of helping this J remain welcoming as well as regain its competitive strengths. Staenberg’s methodology in Denver was consistent with his philanthropy philosophy, to promote a cohesive community that helps strengthen Jewish communal life.
“I believe these buildings will serve as a catalyst for Jewish families and businesses across Denver to come together and form a true community built around shared experiences and a common vision for the future,” Staenberg said.
Staenberg’s philanthropy follows his heart. His support of Jewish Community Centers is a result of the passion he feels about the role they play in the community.
“I have been asked on more than one occasion why I am interested in investing so much time, money and passion to support campaigns to renovate Jewish Community Centers. The easy answer is that I believe that JCC’s have the potential to make the greatest impact in our communities. Now and for many years to come.”
Partnering with KC’s J
Now, it’s Kansas City’s turn.
As with other projects undertaken by Staenberg, his family and the Foundation, the concept of “giving to give, not to get,” inspired him to offer complimentary advice, and funding, to help enhance and freshen The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City. Like The J’s fundraiser-extraordinaire Herb Buchbinder, and dedicated supporter and seeker-of-supporters Scott Slabotsky, Jim Sluyter, the CEO and president of the local J, said Kansas City is fortunate to partner with exceptional individuals who care deeply about The J’s mission.
“The Jewish Community Center has been incredibly blessed to have such strong supporters and benefactors. Quite simply, The J would not be where it is today without the generous support of such wonderful people, and now with Michael’s help, we look forward to taking our organization to the next level,” Sluyter reflected.
For Kansas City’s J, Staenberg visited the facility and noted that, while it remains first rate, the time has come for remodeling and enhancements. Some of these needs had already been identified by J management and lay leaders, and immediate freshening is now underway as well as some long-term additions and improvements, which will be announced in the coming weeks.
To make a fast, yet lasting, impact that members and visitors can already start to experience, Staenberg contributed $90,000 to provide a much-needed facelift for the gym, track and fitness areas in late 2018. The funds were used to provide a makeover of the area, including providing a fresh coat of paint; new cabinetry work; renovation of the existing fitness floor restrooms; and importantly, creating and installing a series of inspirational graphics surrounding the indoor track. The graphics have added a new level of modern aesthetics via inspiring Jewish-themed quotations, attracting a lot of positive “buzz.”
“We’re very grateful for Mr. Staenberg’s generous donation, giving us the ability to freshen and modernize our fitness areas,” said Barry Baumfalk, The J’s senior director of fitness, sports, aquatics and membership. “There hasn’t been one day go by since completion that a member hasn’t complimented the work. I’ve had numerous members comment that the quotes on the wall inspired them to work out just a bit longer that day! It’s also evident on our Facebook pages, as members continue to check-in and add a photo of one of the quotes along the track that has inspired them.”
And, this is just the beginning.
In addition to funding these immediate enhancements, The J has received a $3 million gift from Staenberg for substantial additions and upgrades to the facility.
“The additions would be designed to maintain The J’s already-stellar reputation as the community’s premier gathering place that embodies Jewish values, where people of all ages and backgrounds learn and grow, and what so many consider their home away from home,” The J’s Sluyter said. “$1.2 million of that gift is a challenge grant, meant to encourage other local individuals to join him in his support of The J. Specifics will be announced soon as to how these funds will be distributed, in line with The J’s vision for the future.”
Slabotsky noted members of the community should “stay tuned, because truly exciting changes are on the way, to make what is already a great member experience even better.”
For J management, the contributions from Michael Staenberg are one important example of The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City’s continuing commitment to our community.
“We are thrilled that Michael has selected our J to be one of the recipients of his generous funding, community spirit and visionary thinking,” Sluyter said.
Board Chair Andrew Kaplan agreed.
“This is the perfect time to be a member and a donor of our J,” Kaplan said. “We’re all proud and honored to be a part of this wonderful institution, and to be surrounded by supporters who see, understand and propel our mission and values to the greater Kansas City community.”
With his gifts, Staenberg is making a large investment in The J and the Kansas City community. Yet Staenberg and J leaders maintain that support from all members of the community — whether small, large or somewhere in between — are vital to The J’s success.
“When a large stone is tossed in the middle of a still pond, the wave will quickly lose its initial energy and the pond will return to calm and still. Instead, we need hundreds of handfuls of smaller stones being constantly thrown into the pond. We need converging ripples going to and coming from every direction. We need for the pond to never be still,” Staenberg said.
Kaplan concurred.
“Together, all these donations from generous people will make our community a better place.”
Stu Goldstein is director of marketing communications for The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City.