Super Sunday doubles last year, but $250,000 shortfall remains; Matching challenge in effect

Joshua Frenden, 5 years old, from Trinity in Pasco County, was the youngest donor Super Sunday, hand delivering — with an assist from his dad, Super Sunday volunteer Dan Frenden, $20 he had collected in a tzedakah box. Federation Financial Resources Director Stuart Berger accepts the gift. Super Sunday, Feb. 21, was bittersweet this year as the day was a Super Success, but not enough.

On the one hand, the annual event was an unqualified success as volunteers for the Jewish Federation of Pinellas and Pasco Counties raised $60,327 in pledges on Super Sunday. In fact, by 11 a.m., it had surpassed Super Sunday 2009’s total for the day, and by day’s end donors had doubled last year’s Super Sunday total.

On the other hand, the total Annual Campaign was still about $250,000below what had been raised pre-recession, Federation Executive Director Bonnie Friedman said.

Volunteers go through a training session with Federation Executive Director Bonnie Friedman and Super Sunday Co-chair Jonathan Bowman (right) before they took to the telephones. Individual pledges ranged from $10,000 to $5, according to Federation comptroller Bill Bennett.

“No answers” were the biggest problem,” Bennett said, as they have a been in recent years due to voice mails, caller ID and, sometimes

because the weather is just too nice and people are out.

The 50 volunteers made more than 4,000 calls — including answered phones, no answers, busy signals, redails and voice mail — resulting in 396 pledges on Super Sunday.

Another 139 pledges were made during what is known as Super Week, the following Monday- Wednesday, and on Thursday when a satellite phonea thon was held in Pasco County. Super Week donations totaled $19,821.

The Super Sunday calls were made from the Superior Uniform Group headquarters in Seminole, which annually donates use of its phones and facilities. The morning session was only two hours old when Stuart Berger, the Federation’s Financial Resource Development Director, told the volunteers that pledges had already topped last year’s Super Sunday total of $30,000.

Diane Sherman makes calls on Super Sunday “The volunteers have a lot of enthusiasm,” Federation Executive Director Bonnie Friedman said as she sorted pledge cards.

“There’s a lot of energy in the room. A lot of people are giving who have never given before,” Super Sunday co-chair Melanie Present said.

This year’s theme was “Super Jews doing Super Things on Super Sunday,” said co-chair Jonathan Bowman. Both are members of the Federation’s Young Adult Leadership Division.

Abbie Grant and Dean Herskowitz show off their door prize. The day was literally a labor of love for Present and Bowman. They are engaged and will be married in May.

“There are people suffering today,” volunteer Norman Fox said between calls. “People (know it and) are giving.”

Volunteer Jamie Roth said one man told her, “’I can only afford $10. Will that help?’ I told him absolutely.”

Carl Rutenberg said he and his wife, who co-chaired Super Sunday in the past, became interested in helping the Federation when their children started attending the Pinellas County Jewish Day School, one of the recipient agencies. “They (donors) recognize the need,” he said.

Other local organizations that receive funds from the Federation include Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, the JCC Suncoast (formerly Golda Meir/Kent Jewish Center and the JCC of Pinellas County), Menorah Manor, Philip Benjamin Tower, Florida Holocaust Museum and the Jewish Press.

Kids make personalized tzedekah boxes during the family friendly afternoon shift. Approximately 30 percent of the money raised in the Annual Campaign goes for overseas needs, mainly through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which operates in 60 countries around the world, and the Jewish Agency for Israel. Programs provided are strictly humanitarian and include rescue and resettlement of Jews who are endangered in their home countries, basic necessities for Jews in need of all ages, and sparking the rebirth of Jewish communities in countries such as the former Soviet Union

The 2010 campaign’s goal is to raise $1.36 million to fund mainly Jewish local, national and international social service and humanitarian programs.

According to the Federation, additional money is needed because economic conditions have caused state and federal government funding cutbacks at a time of increasing needs in the Jewish community. “Every contribution, even a small one, makes a significant impact,” donors were told.

Some of the Super Sunday morning shift volunteers take time to pose for a group photo. Super Sunday co-chairs Melanie Present and Jonathan Bowman are in front. Pledges can be paid any time before Dec. 31, 2010. Payments can be made monthly or quarterly by credit card or check.

Many of the volunteers brought their children during the family-friendly afternoon session, with the younger set doing tzedakah related crafts while parents made calls. Jo-El’s Kosher Delicatessen and Marketplace, as

always, provided lunch.

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Anyone missed during Super Sunday who would like to make a donation should contact the Federation at (727) 530-3223, www.jewishpinellas.org, or 13191 Starkey Rd., Suite 8, Largo 33773.