When it comes to education, we all want the very best for our kids. Due to rising tuition rates at all levels of schooling, that wish is becoming harder and harder to fulfill. Deep down we all know and understand that just as the price of food, clothes, rent, and virtually everything else has increased over the years, so has the price we must pay for a quality Jewish education—but that certainly doesn’t lighten the load on our wallets or the stress we feel!
Thanks to the United Children’s Education Foundation (UCEF), that is about to change.
A few years ago, a group of community businessmen decided that the time for action had come. Together, they put into motion a whole new concept of how to raise and distribute money for education to families throughout the community. UCEF uses everyday transactions within community-based businesses to soften the impact that tuition can have on families. The result is quick and simple aid to the families of our community.
Using What We Have To Build A Better Solution
Instead of the traditional model of setting up an education grant program from the ground-up, UCEF is set-up to function like a business, collecting royalties from a network of vendors that are put directly toward families’ tuition invoices. The key to this whole operation is taking advantage of the tremendous buying power of our community. UCEF currently has 17 vendors within its royalty network who sell to local businesses of all types and then pay royalty contributions from the sales they make. The organization even helps startups or newer businesses find reputable vendors from within its network if they don’t have them already secured.
All of UCEF’s vendors are thoroughly vetted through a highly selective, board-backed approval process designed to ensure that our community’s businesses are working with the very best partners in their respective fields and receiving competitive pricing.
“We joined with UCEF about two years ago,” said community member Morris Dweck, CEO of Bentex Group Inc. “It’s not only about money, it’s about quality, and service. Why not try it? There’s no downside.”
Bringing Big Ideas To The Real World
To better understand how UCEF’s vendor network system operates, it can be useful to look at some real world examples. From business owners to individual families, almost anyone can get involved, such as:
• A community importer working with a UCEF forwarder, negotiate as they normally would, and UCEF would get a royalty of that deal.
• Anyone who accepts credit cards in their business—why not work with UCEF’s vendor? You may even save money while helping them generate money towards the fund.
• There are 17 unique vendors in all different industries. Visit www.ucef.com to learn more.
Nobody is expected to spend a dollar more than they currently are—only work with UCEF vendors if it makes sense for your business.
An Idea Bigger Than Business
By choosing to work with and support UCEF, you are also intertwining your business with tzedaka. You are giving back to the community without even knowing it, while at the same time helping your business flourish.
In the short time UCEF has been operating, the model has already proven to be an absolute success.
UCEF has generated approximately 1.5 million dollars in three years without any solicited donations to aid community parents with tuition bills. All this, with only a small percentage of community businesses currently using its vendors.
“I feel as though we have only scratched the surface,” said UCEF Executive Director Sammy Esses. “I estimate in the near future, we will be able to fund millions in tuition bills. The only question is how long it will take. That is all up to the community.”
Simplifying How FamiliesSecure Grants
The guidelines for eligibility are extremely inclusive and fairly simple to secure. Once a family applies and is given the green-light for a tuition grant, UCEF sends the money to the children’s school and the family sees a deduction on their tuition bill automatically .
The organization uses a third party vendor to determine if a family qualifies, so your financial info is completely confidential. Grants are distributed evenly amongst all qualifying children, with no favoritism or bias going to families of any demographic or socioeconomic status.
“I don’t know what I would do without UCEF,” said a parent who received a tuition grant. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to send my kids to camp, but when that grant kicked in, it suddenly became doable.”
How To Get Involved With UCEF
Tapping into our business buying power as a community is only the start of what UCEF can be.
Ultimately, the goal of UCEF is to ensure that if money is being spent in this community—be it business transactions or personal purchases—a portion of that money should be reinvested in our children.
Families, businesses, and individuals are encouraged to give UCEF a call to see how they can get involved and start putting their spending towards the greater good, now. Every time you pay a bill or swipe a credit card, you should first think—am I making my money work towards a greater goal? Could this be better spent through UCEF to educate our children and help our community thrive?
“This started as just a thought, an idea, but I knew instantly, this must happen and it’s truly a no-brainer,” said Vice President of UCEF Joe Levy. “The amount our community spends annually between the business expenses and personal spending, there is absolutely no reason why this model shouldn’t work if everyone takes the initiative to become involved in it.”
We already have the buying and spending power, to resolve our own crisis. Now, we as a community should get behind this project and propel it to what it can truly become. The model works, it’s been proven, now it’s up to you to step up and see how you—yes you reading this—together with UCEF, can make a brighter tomorrow.
The time has come for us all to stop complaining about the tuition crisis and to start being a part of the
SOLUTION.
If you are interested in using one or more of UCEF’s royalty vendors or would like to become a UCEF vendor, we encourage you to get in touch with UCEF today at connect@ucef.com or 212-641-0501.θ
