An Interview with Cliff Kozemchak
“It’s one thing to want to provide families welcome baskets. It’s another thing to have the resources for that level of care,” shared Cliff, a member of the City Mission Legacy Society, in a recent interview with ECS.
How did you first become involved with ECS?
Going back about 30 years ago, I was invited to volunteer with the Development Committee. In 1995 I joined the board where I served for 13 years. For three of those years, I served as president of the board.
Now you are an Honorary lifetime member of the board, yes?
That’s correct. I also currently serve on the Investment Committee. I am delighted with everything I’ve done with ECS. It is absolutely the number one charitable organization closest to my heart.
What excites you about ECS’ mission and has compelled you to give?
Over the course of our history, ECS has always sought out the toughest cases. This was true in the 80’s when AIDS was raging through Philadelphia. ECS was the agency seeking out this group. Where others looked away, we turned toward those who were suffering.
The same was true of our foster care work in the 90’s. We didn’t just provide foster care. We specialized in the care of medically disabled children—those for whom finding foster care was extremely challenging. Yet we did it.
And the same is true today. Our programs are a model for other agencies. It is such a blessing to me personally, and I feel to every person in Philly, that we have ECS. It is very, very special.
What would you say to folks who may be new to the idea of planned giving?
It’s that whole biblical notion of tithing. If you are in a position where you can do it financially, yes, it is certainly through hard work and careful personal, financial management, but there is always an element of good fortune and blessings that come with that. You can have that notion of giving back throughout your life, and even after your life, into perpetuity.
What’s that movie? Field of Dreams? “If you build it, they will come.” We had an initiative, when I was on the board, to build the endowment. I used to say to folks, “if we can just tell you the story of ECS, how can you not want to contribute?”
And what is that story?
That story is the “ECS-ness of things.” It’s a little term we used to use. I’m not sure if you all still use it.
It’s funny you should mention it. “ECS-ness” came up in an earlier article with Neibert Richards of our Rapid Rehousing Program. She talked about how her team goes above and beyond their city contract requirements by providing welcome baskets to families in transition, and the dignity that provides them, as being “the ECS-ness of things.”
See, that proves it’s in the culture. There’s Neibert in programming, and I am way over here on the other side of the organization on the investment committee. She’s talking about bringing the ECS-ness of things to the work, and I know the reason we can do all those things—the reason we can retain staff like Neibert, and the reason her team can bring that extra measure of care to their work—is because of the endowment. It’s one thing to want to provide families welcome baskets. It’s another thing to have the resources for that level of care. What allows the ECS-ness of things is our endowment.
