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| ATLANTA JEWISH FOUNDATION | JUNE 2019
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The Nodvin Berman Family: Adam, Sydnee, Melissa, Benjamin, Abby
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| Giving Passionately and Locally
Melissa Berman is passionate about making an impact on the lives of breast cancer survivors, and her donor-advised fund helps her do that.
Melissa Berman is a wife, a mom of three, a competitive tennis player, a philanthropist, and a cancer survivor. In December 2017, Melissa embarked on a journey that began with an abnormal MRI and led to early detection of stage 1 breast cancer. Her diagnosis became a philanthropic spark to support the survivorship needs of women in Greater Atlanta. In her role as Development Chair on the Board of Directors of TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation, Melissa works to raise funds and awareness for specialized rehabilitation needs and educational programing for breast cancer survivors.
Years before her diagnosis, Melissa was told that due to dense breast tissue she would be required to have mammograms and MRI’s on a regular basis to ensure early intervention in the event of any abnormalities. Her December mammogram was normal, but she already had an MRI scheduled for the following week. “The MRI revealed some alarming areas of concern, so I went back to my breast specialist’s office in January to biopsy the areas. In February, the needle biopsy results came back benign,” Melissa said. Although there was no family history of cancer, she wasn’t convinced of the results, so she became an advocate for her health and continued with testing until her suspicion was confirmed — she had breast cancer. Melissa said, “It was at that point I decided to have a double mastectomy and realized my life would change forever.”
“I had been worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the quality of life I had been accustomed to. However, working with the physical and massage therapists at TurningPoint changed my outlook.” Melissa became deeply invested in the array of supportive services offered at TurningPoint and started making contributions through her donor-advised fund with Atlanta Jewish Foundation.
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Did You Know?
...Atlanta Jewish Foundation has secured over 200 Letters of Intent with a total value of approximately $13.4M in after-lifetime commitments for 14 local Jewish agencies, day schools and synagogues through our participation in the LIFE & LEGACY program? Learn more about LIFE & LEGACY here.
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Supported through AJF Donor-Advised Funds:
Since diseases in the Jewish community have been extensively studied, JScreen is now equipped to test for genetic diseases with a high prevalence in the Jewish community. This also allows for the advanced the ability to help families plan for the healthiest possible futures for their children. If you and your partner are both carriers for the same disease, JScreen has genetic counselors who can provide information and resources to help ensure the best possible outcomes for your children. Learn more here.
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Jewish Value of the Month: Pikuach Nefesh (Save Life)
The obligation to preserve human life comes first,overriding other comandments.
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Philanthropy in the News
1. Family Philanthropy
"Teens manage budgets and allocate grants while learning about the value of giving back," by Rhymer Rigby
2. The Washington Post
"The billionaire investor delivered the ultimate graduation gift: Life without student loan debt " by Rachel Siegel
3. The Chronicle of Philanthropy
"Has the Giving Pledge changed giving?" by Marc Gunther
Read here
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Upcoming Philanthropic
Learning Opportunities
Southeastern Council of Foundations Annual Meeting
November 13-15, 2019 | Atlanta, GA
SECF’s Annual Meeting is the region’s premiere philanthropic event, bringing together hundreds of foundation trustees, executives and staff for three days of connection, insight and education. Highlights of the Annual Meeting includes: keynotes by national thought leaders, sessions highlighting best practices, issues and trends, and plenty of opportunities to make and renew connections with colleagues from across the region and the country. Register by July 1st and save $100
The National Forum on Family Philanthropy
October 16-18, 2019 | Chicago, IL
NCFP’s National Forum on Family Philanthropy brings philanthropic families and leaders together for two and a half days of peer networking and thought provoking conversations led by some of the greatest thought leaders in family giving. Forum sessions feature the perspectives of donors and family members in an environment that fosters both confidential and candid discussions. Learn more and register!
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| Atlanta Jewish Foundation sponsors a robust Donor-Advised Fund program for those wishing to manage their philanthropy and leverage the tax benefits of charitable giving while benefiting the community. For more information about how Donor-Advised Funds work, watch a video, download the guidebook, and fill out an application. In addition to Donor-Advised Funds, Atlanta Jewish Foundation enables donors to maximize the impact of their generosity through a variety of planned gifts.
LIFE & LEGACY™ is a capacity building partnership program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation that provides training, support and monetary incentives to move organizations to secure meaningful after-lifetime legacy gifts. This program creates a strong partnership between the Atlanta Jewish Foundation and our local Jewish community agencies, synagogues and day schools.
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