Portland, January 13, 2014. Philanthropist, Arlene Schnitzer with the support of her son Jordan Schnitzer, has earmarked $5 million from the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Family Fund of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation (OJCF) as the lead gift in Cedar Sinai Park’s Capital Campaign. (Arlene Schnitzer is pictured with with Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson from the Portland Art Museum) OJCF is Cedar Sinai Park’s legacy planning and investment partner. The Foundation’s Board of Directors announced that it has happily approved Mrs. Schnitzer’s funding recommendation. It has been requested that this designated gift be made in Mrs. Schnitzer’s name and in the name of her  husband, Harold Schnitzer, who passed away in 2011.

Harold and Arlene Schnitzer in the Japanese Garden in 2010

Harold and Arlene Schnitzer in the Japanese Garden in 2010

“Harold would be proud to see our family’s participation in helping to build a new vision for the way services are delivered to elders in the Jewish as well as broader community. It brings us great comfort to know that many will have access to this facility and its wonderful services for decades to come,” exclaimed Mrs. Schnitzer.

“Our son, Jordan, spent 16 years leading Cedar Sinai Park and led the development of the May Apartments, Rose Schnitzer Manor, and helped to restructure the operations of the nonprofit in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Our family has always felt it was important to not only honor our elders, but help provide the quality of life and care so our seniors can live with dignity and peace. We are confident that Portland’s funding community will rise to the challenge involved in this gift and help to build this new care center and to build the endowment that will assure that it will be well managed for generations to come,” said Mrs. Schnitzer.

To meet the changing needs of current and future generations, CSP’s Capital Campaign will raise the funds necessary to renovate the existing Robison Jewish Health Center (so all rooms will be private), and develop a new care and rehabilitation center in SW Portland to be named the Harold Schnitzer Health and Rehabilitation Care Center. To be built is a four-story household model featuring private bedrooms and bathrooms, and shared kitchens and living rooms to help residents sustain meaningful connections to family and friends…all while receiving the highest quality of professional medical care that has been the hallmark of our services.

The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Family Donor Advised Fund of the OJCF was established in 2012 as a result of the largest gift ever made to Portland’s Jewish community. According to Harold Schnitzer’s wishes, Park Tower Apartments was gifted by the family to OJCF in October 2012 to honor Harold and to continue his legacy.

“On behalf of the OJCF Board and entire organization, we are honored to partner with the Schnitzer family and Cedar Sinai Park. The establishment of the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Family Donor Advised Fund represents a tremendous vote of confidence in the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation as a vehicle for the distribution and fulfillment of philanthropic goals of all sizes and scope,” said Sharon Morell, President of the Board of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.

Three million dollars of the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Family Fund’s generous Capital Campaign gift has been designated as a fundraising challenge grant (encouraging others to follow suit); $1.75 million will be given as a top-off grant at the end of the community fundraising effort. In addition, $250,000 has been designated as a challenge grant for the purpose of creating an endowment for new Care Center’s building maintenance.

“We are honored by this gift and by the remarkable leadership and confidence it represents. Cedar Sinai Park is very grateful to the entire Schnitzer family for all it has done…Arlene Schnitzer’s desire to fulfill her husband Harold’s wish is something for which we will be eternally grateful and Jordan’s 33-year history of supporting seniors in the community is unprecedented,” said Jim Winkler, Chair of the Cedar Sinai Park Capital Campaign.

The total Cedar Sinai Park Capital and Endowment Campaign goal is $28 million. With this gift from the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Family Fund, more than $11 million has been raised to date of the $18 million community fundraising goal. It is anticipated that $7.5 million in bonds will also be sold in order to complete the construction financing. In addition, $2.5 million will be raised by CSP to create a maintenance endowment for the healthcare buildings.

“We are so grateful to the late Harold Schnitzer and his family for their leadership and vision, and our Board and community are determined to meet and exceed the challenges built into this marvelous gift,” said Paul Frisch, President of the Board of Cedar Sinai Park.

“The foundation is honored to play a unique role in facilitating the incredible generosity of Harold, Arlene and Jordan Schnitzer in support of Cedar Sinai Park’s Capital Campaign. This long-standing partnership with CSP for the benefit of outstanding healthcare for our elders and disabled again demonstrates Harold, Arlene and Jordan’s dedication to caring for the most vulnerable in our community. This gift will surely inspire others to join in support of this important endeavor,” said Julie Diamond, Executive Director of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.

Information submitted by Cedar Sinai Park

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