It all started with my daughter's honeymoon to Costa Rica where her husband, has relatives. Two weeks before they were to depart, I received a call from a guy who, in Sabra Hebrew, told me that he and 17 Israelis were running an Eco-Resort in Costa Rica called Lands In Love. Dedicated vegans, they were caring for some 200 neglected, abandoned, abused and sick dogs, cats, horses, ducks and assorted other animals. They had seen my website Israelgrants.com and wanted to know if I could help them raise money for a shelter, clinic, food and medicine for these animals. The only problem is, they said, they have no money to pay me.
Now this is not the first case that my services were requested by organizations unable or unwilling to pay for them. So I patiently explained that I do not work for a percentage of funds raised as this is against the Code of Ethics of the Israel Association of Professional Fundraisers (and of the U.S. and European associations). "But we can pay you in vouchers for use at our resort", Assaf suggested. You just have to get here on your own,"
My first reaction was, "you've got to be kidding", but then I remembered, that my daughter and son-in-law were on their way dafka (of all places) to Costa Rica, wow, this must be beshert (destined), so I said to him "You know what? By chance I have two "staff members" who are on their way to Costa Rica. How about if I send them to your resort, they'll check it out, interview, gather the data and when they return we'll write up your project in the form of a foundation proposal."
He agreed.
Raya and Michael stayed for two days and a night at Lands in Love and had an incredible time. Michael, who is a carnivore from Chile, said that the vegetarian food there was the best food he ever tasted. In addition to the pristine forest environment, the place as ziplining, horseback riding, rapelling, rafting and dog lovers can help walk the dogs!
Upon their return they gave me a detailed report and thus I began my work for Lands in Love. It was a bit daunting trying communicating via Skype, with a time difference of 10 hours, working with idealistic israelis who had never before had to put the good work that they were doing into a format worthy of consideration by a foundation. I took the proposal we wrote with me when I traveled to the U.S. to represent several of my clients at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America and in meetings I had scheduled with foundations in Baltimore, Miami, Philadelphia and New York.
One of the meetings I had scheduled was with a representative of the Wells Fargo Bank Philanthropic Services. I had seen his name on a letter of rejection that a client of mine had received from a foundation. So being the shy unassuming guy that I am, I picked up the phone and called him, explained that I represented a number of Israeli nonprofits and asked to meet with him both to share my experience and perspective with him and get an insight into his work. He agreed to meet me!
From his office, on the umteenth floor of a Florida office tower, he took me back down the elevator and across the street to a restaurant, Immediately after we ordered and before I could even take out the stack of folders with information about the various organizations and projects that I was prepared to present to him, he leaned forward and looked me straight in the eye, "I just want you to know," he said, "that I'm totally with you guys." Ok, I thought to myself, he's talking about Amood Anan. I'll tell him about the call I got yesterday from my daughter who told me that the siren had gone off and that she was in our pantry bomb shelter. I leaned forward to meet his earnest look. "In 1967, I was in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany. We were put on high alert. We had our dog tags put in protective seals and were ready to enter the war to fight on your side," he explained. "But the call never came. Now they are raining missles on you. I just want you to know I'll do whatever I can for you."
"Wow," I said to him. I think I'm at the right place at the right time with the right person!"
After presenting Atid BaMidbar's MakorRock teen music project and their Culinary Queens ethnic catering, Midreshet Golan's Adir BaMarom post high school air force technology and electronics training program, the Orthodox Scouts of Jaffa's coexistence summer camp, and several others. I asked him to tell me about his clientele. It turns out that his department is somewhat similar to the Endowment Fund Director of Jewish Federations. Except that the Federations are bombarded by requests from local and national Jewish agencies, by the general campaign and by a growing number of Israeli nonprofits seeking new channels for direct funding. He sits on boards of trustees of quite a number of philanthropic foundations administered by quite a number branches of his national bank. In most cases his responsibility is to invest the funds and advise the boards of how to follow proper legal and financial regulations. However, in a number of instances he is asked for input into the allocations processes.
"Take for example the case of a client of mine who called me up last week saying that he had a property he wanted to get rid of, but was facing 50% income tax on the proceeds. How about donating it to a nonprofit," Tom suggested. "There are significant tax benefits in doing it that way." But what nonprofit," he asked. "Well what do you care about?" asked Tom in response. "I care about dogs," was the response. So Tom did his homework, found 14 animal welfare organizations, whittled them down to six and was prepared to send him the profiles of the six. "Seven, if you please" I said. And I told him the story about Lands in Love and their need for an Animal Shelter and Veterinary Clinic.
To make a long story shorter, last week I got an email from Tom. I'm pleased to give you the heads up that the donor has agreed to make a grant of $40,000 for the construction of the Veterinary Clinic, for equipment, food and medicine." "Yes!!!! I screamed from my office jolting my staff from their intense concentration on work for our clients...."
Last month 19 members of the extended Maeir-Epstein family from 4 cities in Israel and 6 cities in the U.S . spent nearly a week at Lands in Love in Costa Rica. In between delicious vegetarian meals, day trips to active volcanoes, zip line rides over forest gorges, horseback rides and rapelling through waterfalls, and more delicious meals, I saw first hand the dedicated care that these young Israelis and their Costa Rican colleagues are giving to the more than 200 animals in their care.
Anyone interested in an incredible vacation, should contact me for further information and a good deal!
David Maeir-Epstein
