When our congregation bought 864 Sheppard Avenue in the summer of 2004 for $1.5 million, we had modest plans to move our community of 465 members into our own home - and no money…yet.
Over the next two years, our modest plans evolved into an ambitious 8.2 million dollar project to build a beautiful, practical, modern home that will nurture the minds and spirits of our dynamic community. A community that has already grown by more than 20% to 570 individuals in less than 3 years.
By the summer of 2006, we had raised $6.5 million! Ninety percent of our members contributed. Eighty families made a gift of $10,000 or more.
It’s a fundraising story that has amazed professional fundraisers, become the basis for case studies, and is the envy of virtually every other congregation. It’s a story we are very proud of.
Of course, it’s a story that is not quite finished (we have $2 million more to go!).
In the spring of 2004, our Congregation signed an agreement to purchase the land and building at 864 Sheppard Avenue. Our challenge was to raise the money we would need to pay for the building and its renovation. Lucky for us, the tenants of the building wanted to stay there for another year. That gave us the time we needed to develop renovation plans and raise the money we would need.
As we grappled with the plans for our renovation, it became clear to us that, while the building might be sufficient to house the Darchei Noam of 2004, it was not the place we would need to house the community we are rapidly becoming.
As the High Holidays of 2004 came to a close we launched the campaign: “Fulfill the Promise, Build our Future”. Our initial goal was to raise $3,000,000 from our congregation. In less than two years, our financial goal was surpassed! Ninety percent of our members pledged over $3.2 million dollars. More than 40 volunteers made personal visits to almost every family in the community. Everyone had the opportunity to articulate what was important to them, to share their hopes and vision. Financial commitments were made, based on informed self-assessment, devoid of pressure and guilt, and infused with passion.
$100,000+ 3 congregants |
$50,000+ 5 congregants |
$36,000+ 6 congregants |
$25,000+ 20 congregants |
$18,000+ 19 congregants |
$10,000+ 35 congregants |
$5,500+ 65 congregants |
$3,600+ 25 congregants |
$1,800+ 30 congregants |
$1,000+ 52 congregants |
In the summer of 2006, in support of our vision, our practical plans for bringing it to fruition and our own financial sacrifice, we secured an external gift of $3,200,000 from Leslie and Anna Dan. They encouraged us to think in the most positive and constructive terms about our long-term future needs and challenged to pursue our best vision in order to advance the important values of our community. Many of the wonderful features we have built into our new home are enabled by their gift. We are so grateful to them and hope we will be worthy of their confidence in us.
In keeping with out egalitarian principles, every donor will be recognized on the donor wall in our new main lobby, regardless of the size of their gift. For gifts at certain levels, there will be opportunities to acknowledge a donor's support for a specific element of the building, or to memorialize a loved one. Please contact Alan Levine (416-482-8196) or at alan.levine@rogers.com, for further information.
Despite the generosity of our members and Leslie and Anna Dan, the building is not yet completely paid for – we still have $1 million to go. In the coming months we will reach out to the newer members of our community for their support. We continue to strive for our goal of 100% community participation in the campaign