The founder of a hedge fund-of-funds and a family investment office, JCF Trustee Ellen Horing is equally passionate about philanthropy. In this interview, she talks about the many charitable causes she is involved with, including Happy Hearts, a nonprofit she founded that provides early childhood education and teacher training in Rwanda. For her, philanthropy is a family affair.
JCF: What values drive your involvement in charitable giving?
Ellen Horing: Tikkun olam and a sense of equity.
JCF: Who inspired your love of giving to others?
EH: My mother and my father—they’ve been involved in many charities including UJA-Federation and United Way for many years. I grew up in Detroit, and both of my parents volunteered in leadership roles within the community. During the Six Day War, we were young but they taught us to break open our piggy banks and give—it doesn’t matter how much. That left an impression.
JCF: Can you share with us some charitable causes that are meaningful to you?
EH: For many years, there were so many that it was difficult to narrow it down. I started examining where I was putting my time and money, and three areas stood out: women, children and education. I have three daughters, and my mother is one of three sisters. We’re a very matriarchal family. I’ve always worked in a male dominated field, so women’s issues are very important to me. It’s important to me that my children, as women, are given equal opportunity. In addition, I love children and firmly believe that education is the great equalizer. Giving women and children a leg up via education is incredibly important.
UJA-Federation of New York is a big part of my life. I have been on the Board of both Westchester and New York UJA-Federation in many different capacities. About 15 years ago, a group of women from Westchester began the Neshamot Fund, a women’s venture philanthropy group, managed by UJA-Federation of NY. Since its inception, it has funded programs that ensure Jewish continuity and serve women and children at-risk. This taught me not only the importance of philanthropy but also the mechanics of giving— for instance, how to research a cause, send out an RFP and how to ensure that the donations are being used effectively. I’ve learned so much and I am so proud of all these women and what they’ve achieved as leaders in their community.
Jewish causes and Israel have always been very important to me. I was on the board of American Friends of Tel Aviv University for many years as chair of the investment committee and remain on the Board of Governors of Tel Aviv University.
JCF: Tell us about some of the educational charities you are involved in.
EH: I began as a mentor teaching financial literacy and now serve on the board of Harlem Village Academies, a charter school. My principal educational commitment now is to Happy Hearts, a nonprofit which builds preschools in Rwanda. In 2019, I was a Fellow at Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative,
a program designed to enhance and leverage the skills of experienced leaders who want to help solve significant social problems. This is where I learned more about social justice issues and more importantly, met a student from Rwanda. We decided to work on a project together opening early childhood education centers in Rwanda and teaching women how to start and run preschools. Happy Hearts currently operates 10 schools, serving 500 children. I was able to visit Rwanda in February 2020 and had the opportunity to meet parents, children and help upgrade the facilities with the community. Happy Hearts fills my bucket in that it targets education and women and children, and has become a very meaningful part of my giving and my time. My dream is to grow the organization and set up hundreds of schools throughout Rwanda.
Since COVID, I’ve also been focusing on equity. I’m trying to give money to leaders who are proximate to the problems in their communities. The challenge is that it is really hard to identify them. I have invested in a venture philanthropy organization based in Boston, New Profit, where I hope to learn from and engage with leaders who have lived experience with the systems that directly affect them. I am learning about this through my children; they’re teaching me. I have created a Google doc with my daughters; we post on it when we learn about a good organization, such as Management Leadership for Tomorrow led by John Rice. My journey began when I led a group (and my daughter went with me) in 2019 to Alabama where we visited Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma and met people who were affected by the Civil Rights movement.
JCF: How did you hear about JCF?
EH: I’ve had a fund at JCF since 2012. I researched community foundations and different places that offer donor advised funds. I love the Jewish focus and the double bottom line since part of our fee goes to UJA-Federation of NY. There are also like-minded people involved with JCF. It’s very easy to do everything—whether it is contributing to my DAF or sending grants out to the charities I care about. I’ve set up a fund for my mother at JCF and funds for my children—it’s become a family affair. I can do everything online and if I need to pick up the phone, I can speak to someone who can help.
JCF was also very helpful when I was setting up my charity, Happy Hearts. Ellen Israelson [JCF’s VP of Philanthropic Services] taught me how to set up for donations to an international organization. I’d love to connect with other people who are involved in Africa and give through JCF. I think it’s important to learn from others and I love hearing about other people’s journeys.
JCF: What has been your most meaningful gift?
EH: The donations where I have had a direct tie with the person I’m giving to. I’ve helped put a few children through college, and I continue to have a relationship with them. To watch them graduate is my greatest joy. One is a Rwandan who I met through an exchange program at my daughter’s high school. Another I met through a program at Harlem Village Academies where I volunteered to help children with their college essays. It’s very rewarding.