American Friends Migdal Ohr

Mission:
“American Friends of Midgal Ohr (AFMO)
www.migdalohrusa.org is the North American
fundraising arm of Midgal Ohr in Israel.
Migdal Ohr is Hebrew for “Tower of Light,”
named for our ability to illuminate a path to a
better life for orphaned, abused, underprivileged,
and new immigrant children in Israel. For more than
34 years, our organization has been transforming the
lives of children from impoverished and disadvantaged
homes, where the basic need for shelter, safety, and
love could not be met. We provide over 6,500 boys and
girls with the priceless opportunity to experience
family, live each day with a sense of well being, and
gain the education and skills needed to feel safe and
live productive, rewarding lives. Migdal Ohr runs a
network of schools, including nurseries and
kindergartens; operates a foster home village for
orphaned and disadvantaged boys and girls; provides
academic and vocational studies; integrates new
immigrant children into Israeli society through
specialized curricula and after-school programs; and
reaches out to impoverished families to alleviate their
problems and create a better home environment for their
children. We admit new children as operational and
capital funds become available to build new dorms,
classrooms, and other school facilities. In this past year,
we admitted over 700 new children from impoverished
and dysfunctional backgrounds. We are very proud of our
mission—to help our children develop into happy, fulfilled
and successful adults. Today "our" children are growing up
to become upstanding citizens, fine human beings, and
leaders in the next generation of doctors, lawyers, scientists,
computer technicians, army officers, community leaders,
teachers, and rabbis.”

Recent News:
Next week, basketball Hall of Famers Rick Barry and Dr. J,
Julius Erving, will visit Israel to do what they are best known
for, shooting some hoops, and to raise money for Migdal Ohr.
Barry said that he knows how valuable playing team sports
can be for children and was quoted as saying that, "it keeps
kids out of trouble, and it teaches them perseverance,
unselfishness, and dedication. These are skills that are
important on a sports team, but also in business." On his recent
visit to New York, Mr. Barry, who is of Irish, English, French,
and Lithuanian descent, spent an afternoon touring the Museum
of Jewish Heritage and learning more about Migdal Ohr. One
fact that impressed him is that 70% of the Migdal Ohr staff are
former recipients of Migdal Ohr services. The idea for the trip
came to the executive vice president of American Friends of
Migdal Ohr, Robert Katz, after he saw the success of an exhibition
game at Madison Square Garden in October between the Knicks
and Maccabi Tel Aviv. It raised more than $1 million. Mr. Katz
hopes this trip will also raise funds: He is offering slots to
American patrons to travel with Mr. Barry and Mr. Erving, for a
suggested donation of $25,000.


FINANCIAL EFFICIENCY EVALUATION:
According to Charity Navigator
(http://www.charitynavigator.org)/
America’s leading charity evaluator, AFMO has
an overall rating of four stars (four stars is the
highest rating.) Charity Navigator provides the
following breakdown of AFMO based on 990
tax returns through 2006:


Overall Rating ****

Organizational Efficiency:
Program Expenses 82.5%
Administrative Expenses 8.2%
Fundraising Expenses 9.2%
Fundraising Efficiency $0.08
(AFMO spends $0.08
to raise $1.)
Efficiency Rating ****

Organizational Capacity:
Program Revenue Growth 18.4%
Program Expenses Growth 9.9%
Working Capital Ratio (years) 0.35
(AFMO can sustain itself for
0.35 years without generating
new revenue)
Capacity Rating ****

Organizational Capacity refers to anorganization’s
ability to sustain itselfover time. Charities that exhibit
consistent revenue and expenses growth are more
likely to sustain its programsand services over the long haul.

AFMO has new assets of $1,595,394.Compensation
for its Executive Vice President, Robert Katz, is
$200,000 which is 6.19% of expenses.

For purposes of comparison, Charity Navigator
has given the Fresh Air Fund, which provides
free summer vacations in the country to New
York City children from disadvantaged
communities, an overall rating of two stars.

Next Week’s Blog: Jewish Philanthropy Facts