CAROL JOSEPH’S LEGACY GIFTS TO HELP OUR CRITICAL WORK CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE

Carol Joseph first became involved with American Jewish World Service because she knew several people on the board—but it was a chance encounter in Uganda where her love for AJWS blossomed.

Prior to her involvement, Carol had helped found a small foundation with a college friend to raise money for an orphanage in Uganda and had spent a great deal of time in Africa. By coincidence, she happened to be there at the same time an AJWS group was visiting grantees in Uganda. Carol met up with the group and visited several of the organizations AJWS was supporting. Her visit with an AJWS partner that was addressing domestic violence through theater was especially moving. She watched a performance staged in the middle of a village, where young people and the broader community were being taught about domestic violence and how to respond to it.

Witnessing that kind of community-based education immediately sold her on AJWS’s mission. Seeing the work firsthand—on the ground—made a profound impression.

When AJWS introduced a legacy giving initiative, Carol felt it was a natural and easy decision. “Legacy gifts are a simple and effective way to ensure the continuation of an organization’s work,” she says. Making a legacy commitment allows her to support the long-term sustainability of AJWS and reflects her belief that philanthropy should extend beyond one’s lifetime.

She also plans to benefit AJWS through her donor-advised fund succession plan. She hopes her gifts will help ensure the continuity of AJWS’s work and believes it is essential that an organization like AJWS—one doing such important work globally—continues well into the future.

Carol served on the AJWS board for about six years. Her primary committee role was on the governance committee, and she also spent time on the executive committee. “I do not see any member of the staff as treating the work as just a job,” she says. “Both the executive team and the broader staff are genuinely committed to the mission and to sustaining and advancing the organization’s work with integrity and dedication.”

She has participated in multiple international trips, including visits to India, Haiti, Mexico and Guatemala. “Being able to see the work in person and meet the individuals and communities directly affected by the funding made the experience special,” she says.

These experiences have shaped her broader philanthropic approach and given her a deeper understanding of what is truly needed in the human rights sphere—and the importance of empowering people within their own communities. “AJWS is not duplicating work already being done; it fills a critical global role,” she says. “The fact that AJWS partners with organizations that are often not receiving substantial funding from other sources is especially important.”

Carol hopes others will be inspired to join her in making a planned gift to AJWS and encourages others to recognize how impactful these gifts are—both now and far into the future. “The human rights issues AJWS addresses are not going away, and the need for sustained support is ongoing,” she concludes. “Legacy gifts help ensure that funding remains steady and that this critical work can continue for generations to come.”