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 Paul & Gloria Fine Fund
Gloria and Paul Fine love Delaware, and they are
committed to giving back to the community that is central to their
lives. They both grew up in homes where giving was a way of life –
their families taught them that contributing to the community, doing
righteous deeds and bringing justice to others was part of their
Jewish heritage.
For the past 25 years the Fines have demonstrated their
love of Delaware and the importance of giving back to the community by
taking on leadership roles in many of the state’s major organizations.
They have made a difference in the lives of countless Delawareans
through their involvement in United Way of Delaware, Christiana Care,
Children & Families First, University of Delaware, Jewish Federation of
Delaware, State Board of Education, Fund for Women and Delaware
Community Foundation.
Gloria and Paul believe that Delaware is fortunate to
have many families who have a strong connection to the community and
considerate it their responsibility to give back. One of the ways the
Fines have chosen to do so is through the Delaware Community Foundation.
They set up the Paul & Gloria Fine Family Fund at the
DCF when Paul was among the key leaders who developed the framework and
laid a strong financial basis for the Foundation. “If we were going to
be involved in developing the organization, we had an obligation to
participate,” observes Paul. “When we set up the fund, it was a way for
us to be able to give back to the community and provide ongoing support
for the community.”
Paul was chairman of the DCF Board of Directors from
July 1994 through June 1996 and currently serves on an advisory
committee to the Youth Philanthropy Fund/Board. He has always seen the
community foundation as adding another dimension for community giving –
to provide funding for things that couldn’t be anticipated.
Gloria’s connection with the DCF is primarily through
the Fund for Women, which was established in 1993 as a way of involving
the DCF in supporting projects for women and girls. After a group of
women (including Gloria) researched the issue, the Fund for Women was
created as a donor-advised fund that anyone could contribute to. The
long-term goal was to raise $1 million – it was met in just four years.
The Fund complements the work of the DCF, serving as another funding
resource for nonprofits.
Gloria was the Fund’s chairman for two years. “ Being
involved with the Fund was a true labor of love. I still get excited and
I still love what the fund is doing,” she says, “but the only way it
will grow will be by having continuous growth in leadership. The Fund
focuses on philanthropy and is a training ground for leadership.”
Paul calls the Fund for Women the best success story of
the DCF. “There never would have been such a fund without the Delaware
Community Foundation.”
The Fines, who have been married for 37 years, have
passed the value of giving to their three daughters, Gayle, Tammy, and
Edye. Gloria made all of them Fund for Women Founders when the Fund was
started. “I wanted to show them that this is what women can do,” Gloria
says. “Although none of them live in Delaware, they enjoy getting
information from DCF and the Fund.”
All three daughters are regular contributors to causes
that are important to them and their family, often making gifts in honor
of their parents. “When it comes to gifts from the kids, we tell them to
make a contribution instead of buying us something,” Gloria explains. As
the next generation of advisors to the Paul & Gloria Fine Family Fund,
they will always stay connected with their birthplace and continue their
parents’ tradition of giving back to Delaware. |
