Rob & Mara Shlachter

Rob and Mara Shlachter have long been dedicated to family, community and helping make the world a better place, both through volunteering their time and making charitable contributions to organizations and causes they care about.

Twenty years ago the couple opened a donor advised fund with OJCF to simplify their giving and to help strengthen the community. "We heard about donor advised funds and felt it was a win-win opportunity. We could make contributions to the fund, watch it grow and, in the future, make decisions regarding how and when to recommend grants to nonprofits," shares Rob. The couple found that for them a donor advised fund was more flexible and cost effective than trying to set up a private foundation.

Over the years the Shlachters have utilized their fund to support myriad organizations. They have also integrated the fund into their estate plan by designating the fund as a beneficiary of their individual retirement account. "We designated our family donor advised fund so our children, who are the fund's successor advisors, can continue our family's involvement in giving and caring for others," says Mara.

Their legacy gift to their OJCF donor advised fund will enable the next generation of Shlachters to continue the family's philanthropy well into the future. Rob and Mara feel that this legacy gift is their way of 'paying it forward.' According to the couple, "We have been incredibly lucky in life, and we want to ensure our family can continue sharing and supporting important issues for years to come."

Rob and Mara hope that Portland's Jewish community endures, thrives and grows for future generations. "We hope our community continues to develop outstanding leadership and create new groups and organizations to tackle issues and opportunities we have yet to imagine."