The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) is launching a $36 million fundraising initiative to renovate and develop its facilities and programs.
The MJCCA announced the launch of this “Capital Campaign” at its March 21 annual board meeting. According to a press release, roughly $20.5 million from the capital campaign will be invested at the Zaban Park Campus, the MJCCA’s main campus in Dunwoody. About $9.7 million will be allocated to Camp Barney Medintz, the organization’s overnight summer camp in Cleveland, Ga.
MJCCA CEO Jared Powers said part of the goal of the fundraising initiative is to attract the next generation to be a part of the JCC. The campaign was initially set to be launched in early 2020, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, plans were put on hold.
“Once we came back a few months later, we really were able to see, or get a feel for, what life was going to be like post-COVID,” Powers said. “So I think it really helped us refine and sharpen our vision, and see what people are going to relate to and want to be a part of in this new world.”
Some of the biggest tasks that will be financed by this campaign are a new outdoor aquatic center and a new pickleball facility. The MJCCA will also be expanding its parking to allow more people to enjoy its services.
“The whole agency – our board, our staff – we are so excited for the transformation that the center is about to undergo,” Powers said. “We can’t wait to see the impact on the community.”
Despite having just announced the initiative publicly, the MJCCA has already secured $31.5 million from major donors, including $12 million from The Marcus Foundation and $6 million from The Zalik Foundation.
“As someone who has been impacted by and involved with the Marcus JCC for nearly my entire life, it is with much pride that we launch this $36 million capital campaign having already raised more than $30 million from our major donors,” said Lee N. Katz, chair of the MJCCA Board of Directors, in a statement. “The time is now for the community to invest in the MJCCA to ensure this one-of-kind agency continues transforming lives for generations to come.”
Other updates expected from the capital campaign include enhanced security, renovations to the main building on the Zaban Park campus, updates to the courtyard and preschool playground, upgrades to the upper fields, and rebuilding structures at Camp Barney Medintz.