Philanthropy is a word that is sometimes used haphazardly. Someone or something appears very philanthropic, or an organization seems philanthropic in nature. The very magazine you’re reading is one of the city’s leading publications focused on the coverage and support of local nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
But what is philanthropy, really? What does it mean to be a philanthropist? Is it a profession or a calling? Can only a select few become that sort of people? No matter where your imagination takes you when you hear the word philanthropist, the image you should end up with is that of a servant, a person who gives of him- or herself and his or her time and money to benefit others.
Judy Kohn Tenenbaum fits this bill and has been chosen as the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas’ (WFA) Woman of the Year in Philanthropy. She said, “This life is not about me. Today was not created for me. I disagree with those who say otherwise. There is a selfishness permeating our culture that is dangerous and unsettling. It will not have a good outcome. The only path to success is working together, giving together.”
Each year the WFA honors an influential woman who has supported and embodied its philanthropic vision; which is to be “dedicated to improving the economic viability of women and girls through focused philanthropic efforts in areas of education.” Tenenbaum will be honored at the WFA’s signature Power of the Purse luncheon on Friday, October 21, at the Statehouse Convention Center. The fundraising event has become a magnet for professional women, community leaders, active philanthropists and aspiring leaders from across Arkansas. The event’s goal is to show how one donor’s “small purse” can have a great impact in communities across Arkansas.
Tenenbaum truly embodies the spirit of philanthropy encouraged by WFA. She has worked tirelessly for years to support local organizations and to give back to the community she loves. “I have been so blessed in my life, and there are too many organizations I’ve been a part of for me to mention them all,” she said. “All that I work on and all the people that I have had the honor to work with are important and meaningful to me.”
The desire to help others has been ingrained into Tenenbaum’s life since she was a child. “I grew up in a conservative Jewish home where religion was most important, a way of life. Through faith, I was taught as a child how important volunteering and giving back to my community was,” she explained. “My mother would often volunteer at hospitals. My uncle was a dermatologist and volunteered once a week treating prisoners at the jail. My cousin and I would go with him. Hearing him talk to the prisoners and working on them made a huge impression on me. I remember thinking how cool was it that he was spending his free time doing this.”
After Tenenbaum moved to Dallas as a young girl with her family, she became involved with United Synagogue Youth and B’nai B’rith for Girls. These organizations embedded in her the importance of service and the honor found in working with and giving to others.
Helping others is not just a pastime for Tenenbaum; it is a way of life. “I am not at all sure why it is so hard for people to understand the importance of helping others,” she admitted. “In the final analysis, it is why we are put on the Earth—not for what we do for ourselves, but rather what we do together to build community, to help others.”
For the past fourteen years, the WFA has had the same vision for building community. They have “sustained the idea that improving the lives of women and girls in Arkansas ultimately improves the health and wealth of families and communities as a whole.” The group is working to grow their endowment fund so they will be able to increase support of deserving organizations that are serving the needs of women and girls in the state.
But philanthropy and service are not just about giving financially. Tenenbaum insisted, “Anyone who helps to improve our community and the human spirit is a philanthropist. Everyone can and should be involved.”
She encourages parents of young children to volunteer at local schools and for children to run or walk in races to support different causes. She said teens and young adults can volunteer and get involved with City Year or serve on the NLR Mayor’s Council. “There are countless ways to help each other,” she explained. “One day, one of us or someone we love may very well benefit from your help.”
Tenenbaum feels privileged to be honored by the WFA as the Woman of the Year. “I can think of many others who are more deserving,” she said. What is most significant about her, however, is not her accomplishments or awards but her zeal for life. She is not just about being a philanthropist; her purpose is defined by a general fervor for life. “I am most passionate about life,” she said. “Every day I am glad to have another one to learn, to work, to laugh, to make a difference and to be with the people I love and care for.”
“I am so blessed to have worked with so many organizations, and there are too many for me to mention.”
Some highlights…
Boards, committees, organizations:
• Congregation B’nai Israel, Little Rock Jewish Federation of Arkansas
• Department of Psychiatry at UAMS
• Breast Cancer Advisory Board at UAMS
• Riverfest
• Susan G. Komen Foundation
• William J. Clinton Foundation
• Clinton School of Public Service
Current service with:
• Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute
• THEA Foundation
• City Year
• Butterfly Community Ministries
• The Governor’s Mansion
• Argenta Community Theater
• St. Vincent Health
Gifts and endowments:
• Tenenbaum Breast Cancer Research Program to support the research of Dr. Suzanne Klimberg
• Muriel Balsam Kohn Chair for Breast Cancer Oncology in memory of her mother
• THEA Foundation’s building in Argenta
• Argenta Community Theater with Vincent Insalaco
• da Vinci® surgical system for prostate cancer surgery to St. Vincent Health
• Presenting sponsorship of Riverfest for four years
Honors and awards:
• 2004 Compassion Award, along with Harold Tenenbaum, from the Arkansas AIDS Foundation
• 2005 Komen BMW Ultimate Driver Award
• 2007 Distinguished Service Award from UAMS College of Medicine
• 2010 City Year Red Jacket Lifetime of Service Award
Power of the Purse 2011 Luncheon
when: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Friday, October 21
where: Statehouse Convention Center
reservations: $100 per person
info: 244-9740 or visit WomensFoundationArkansas.org