In this issue of In A Word, The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies is proud to recognize those corporations that have supported us over the years. While religious organizations receive the greatest support from individual donors, The Institute is fortunate in that it has received significant support from the corporate community. In 1993, the ICJS Board of Directors voted to establish an endowment that would be used to support the organization's infrastructure for years to come. Nearly 13% of that endowment has come from corporate givers.

The very first commitment by a corporation to the Institute's endowment campaign was made by the Mercantile-Safe Deposit & Trust Company. Furlong Baldwin, the bank's chair-person, set a high standard of support that served to encourage others to give with equal generosity by making a commitment of $100,000 to the campaign. This extraordinarily important grant was later doubled as the Mercantile Bank awarded an additional $100,000 when the funding goal was raised from five to eight and one-half million dollars.

Under Mr. Baldwin's leadership, the Mercantile Bank earlier had initiated a series of unique travel/study trips to Israel in honor of Robert Levi's long and distinguished association with the bank. Designed for Christian and Jewish business and political leaders from throughout Maryland, these trips served to enhance the friendship, understanding, and cooperation among the religiously and racially diverse participants.

The Mercantile Bank's support of The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies was, in Mr. Baldwin's words, "a logical extension of this program and of the bank's ongoing commitment to always seek ways to enhance the quality of life in our community."

In 1994, First Maryland Foundation, the predecessor of Allfirst Foundation of Allfirst Bank, committed $100,000 to the ICJS Endowment Campaign. Retired Chairman of the bank, Jeremiah Casey, remembered the gift. "Normally the bank didn't give directly to religious organizations, but we saw that the ICJS was doing things across religious lines. It was working at bettering relationships between Christians and Jews, and was clarifying some of the matters that led to misunderstandings. The bank felt that the quality of life in a community improves when you have better understanding in and among members of the community." In 1999, Allfirst Foundation increased its pledge to The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies with an additional $25,000 gift to the endowment.

Another path for corporate gifts to The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies has been through trusts and foundations administered by corporations. The Helen B. Denit Trust is a fund administered by Bank of America. This trust tends to favor creative programs in medicine and education. In deter-mining the distribution of funds from this trust, Howard Weiss, administrator, stated, "The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies appeared to be a creative program and one that will do a lot of good in the community."

It is clear that the first consideration in corporate philanthropy is, "How will this gift enhance our community?" Business lead-ers know it is important to support those organizations that build communities and keep them viable. In the development of individual and community values, and in the battle against poverty and human injustice, religion is an indispensable ally. Where religious intolerance exists, it contributes to human division and increases our social afflictions. The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies is instrumental in bringing together the Christian and Jewish communities in a way that no other organization can. The ICJS was created to confront religious intolerance in a way that can only benefit Baltimore.

Additional gifts from corporate donors at or above the $100,000 level have come from BGE Foundation, Bloomberg Financial Systems, and Bank of Baltimore Foundation, Inc. The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies is very grateful to the corporate community that has been so generous in its support.

ICJS Honors Corporate Donors