Rebecca Acevedo, spokesperson for TD Bank in Purchase, had one word to describe the bank”™s sentiments on winning an outstanding corporate philanthropy award: “Thrilled!”
The award is one among six in the Association of Development Officers”™ (ADO) lineup for its sixth annual National Philanthropy Day breakfast on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown.
“The ADO”™s national philanthropy day committee reviewed more than 50 nominations for those making the most significant efforts to improve the quality of life in Westchester in 2008,” said Linda Martin, communications co-chairwoman of the ADO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of fundraising and philanthropy in the Hudson Valley.
Jane and Don Cecil of Harrison, founders of the Jandon Foundation, were named “outstanding philanthropist of the year.”
“We”™re kind of overwhelmed, but also humble about the whole thing,” said Jane Cecil. “There are a lot of people who deserved to win this award.”
In 1999, the couple created the Jandon Scholar Foundation and provided scholarships to more than 125 high school seniors. “Jandon is a private foundation which my husband and I began, since we are fortunate enough to give back,” Cecil said. “We mainly focus on educational efforts ”¦ getting an education is the only way to survive in this world.”
Lauren Candela-Katz of White Plains, president of LCK Consulting, won the Professional Fundraiser of the Year Award; Rose Schrott of Mount Kisco won the Youth in Philanthropy Award for her volunteer efforts with the American Cancer Society; Betsy May Stern of Edgemont, chairwoman of the Westchester Community College Foundation, won the Nonprofit Board Member of the Year Award; Sue Cole of Bronxville, president of Cole Communications, won the Peter J. Gallagher Award for Leadership and Service to ADO; and the Helen Andrus Benedict Foundation of New York won the Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation Award.
TD Bank”™s charitable foundation, in winning for outstanding corporate philanthropy, raised more than $34 million since its inception in 2002. In 2007, the foundation donated $9 million to economic, community and youth-centered initiatives.
“We are really committed to making a positive impact in the communities that we serve,” said Acevedo. “We don”™t just give out money; we like to be hands-on and actively participate in our community and with nonprofits.”
Still, in unstable economic times, corporations and nonprofit organizations recognize potential philanthropic repercussions. “We were really quite fortunate because of the merger,” Acevedo said, in reference to Commerce Bank”™s transition into a trademark of TD Bank N.A. “We inherited the foundation in the process, so giving should be about the same this year”¦because we”™re a bigger bank now, we”™re actually expanding our programs.”
Smaller foundations and their nonprofit counterparts may take a greater hit. “It”™s probably going to be very tough,” Martin said. “I imagine it”™s going to be a belt-tightening time, since the need for funds won”™t diminish. It seems to me, the individual donors may have a tougher time, since they have to decide what portion of their budgets they”™ll use for charitable donation,but we may be surprised.”
For tickets and information, call 241-3917.
