MJCCA Wins Grants to Green Assessment of its Campus
ASSESSMENT TO BE PERFORMED BY SOUTHFACE ENERGY INSTITUTE
SPECIAL FOR THE AJT
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta recently awarded the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) with a Grants to Green Campus Assessment, to “green” its buildings, site and operations at the MJCCA’s Zaban Park. The assessment is a service that will be performed for the MJCCA by Southface Energy Institute. Through this process, Southface will identify high-impact opportunities for reducing operating costs and environmental impact. The MJCCA then looks forward to implementing Southface’s recommendations in an effort to support and maintain Environmental Sustainability
The Grants to Green Initiative
Grants to Green provides environmentally focused knowledge and funding to strengthen nonprofits in the Atlanta region. The founding partners of Grants to Green are The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (www.cfgreateratlanta.org) providing expertise in grant making, and Southface (www.southface.org) providing expertise in energy efficiency.
Since 2008, the Grants to Green initiative has helped nonprofit organizations in the 23-county metro-Atlanta region assess facilities, identify and implement energy, water and resource-efficiency upgrades and adopt best management practices for sustainability. To date, 144 local nonprofit organizations have received Grants to Green Assessment and/or Implementation Grants. Collectively, these nonprofits have saved over $1 million a year in utilities including energy, water and gas costs.
The MJCCA’s Grant to Green Vision Statement
The Grants to Green Campus initiative will further the MJCCA’s commitment to transform how the agency operates and delivers services, establishing the MJCCA as a strong environmental steward and leader in the community and furthering its strategic plan for long-term financial sustainability.
Gail Luxenberg, CEO of the MJCCA said, “We look forward to partnering with Southface, through the Community Foundation and becoming an environmentally responsible agency.” Luxenberg continued, “We are continuously working with the agency’s staff and management team to ensure the agency is using best practices in its facilities, programs and community involvement to implement additional greening opportunities.”
The MJCCA’s Recent Efforts to Support Environmental Sustainability
- Recycling three-five tons monthly, including electronic equipment
- Installing more energy-efficient lighting fixtures in its main building and parking lot
- Offering three community gardens for its preschools and summer day camp
- Ensuring new computers/monitors meet ENERGY STAR standards
- Utilizing lighting timers
- Adhering a pool cover for after hours, which creates a thermal blanket to keep the pool heated and reduce energy
- Installing a misting system that collects and utilizes rainwater to cool the roof top HVAC units
- Planting 100 trees and 5,000 daffodils in recent months to further “green” the campus.
“After the assessment is completed, the MJCCA’s Governance Board will determine which recommendations to implement, and ensure that adequate funding is secured,” said Luxenberg. “The Community Foundation’s generous support of the MJCCA will enable our agency to decrease unnecessary waste and expenses, enabling us to focus more resources on programs and services for our community members.”
Luxenberg continued, “The MJCCA is more essential to the community than ever before, serving more than 55,000 people every year. As a non-profit organization serving the metropolitan Atlanta community for more than 100 years, the MJCCA relies on the support of organizations like the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to continue providing high quality classes, leagues, programs and services for generations to come.”
About the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA)
The MJCCA is committed to strengthening the quality of life throughout metro-Atlanta, and is recognized as one of the most highly regarded Jewish community centers nationally. From preschoolers and adolescents, to young adults and seniors, the MJCCA offers unique and engaging programs, events and services for every member of the community
About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta connects donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen the Atlanta region through philanthropy. The Community Foundation does this by providing quality services to donors and innovative leadership on community issues. Please visit the Foundation’s website at www.cfgreateratlanta.org for more information.
Editor’s note: for more, contact Erika Barnes, MJCCA Senior Development Associate at (678) 812-4144; www.atlantajcc.org
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