Q&A with Victoria Rabinowe

Please share a bit about where you're from and what inspired your philanthropic journey. Do you have a personal experience or early memory of philanthropy "in action" that influenced you?

I am from New York, where I grew up in an Austrian refugee family. Around the coffee table, the aunties and uncles reminisced about those who escaped the Nazis and the ghosts of those who didn’t. I was profoundly moved by their stories, and I developed a lifelong passion for paying our good fortune forward.

I recall that my grandfather assisted fellow immigrant families in establishing businesses and my grandmother hired refugee needle workers to produce the American Army insignia.

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What causes are you passionate about supporting here in northern New Mexico?

I am passionate about local programs that support refugees and immigrants, Santa Fe Dreamers Project and Somos Un Pueblo Unido; education and leadership training for girls, Girls Inc of Santa Fe; support for women escaping violent homes, Esperanza Shelter ; peacemaking programs, Tomorrow’s Women; craftspersons and artisans, Espanola Valley Fiber Arts and the International Folk Art Market.

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How do you decide which civic and economic-focused nonprofits or programs to support? What key factors influence your decision-making process?

My mother had a “charity” box filled with hundreds of index cards for the worthy causes she supported with ten-dollar donations. I recall how she would agonize over the enormous task of making hundreds of donations at the end of each year. As she aged, I took over the tedious process of donations.

When she passed away, I inherited a sizable bank account containing WWII reparation money from the German government. It felt like blood money to me, and I urgently wanted to donate the entire amount. However, I was overwhelmed by the tasks of settling her estate. How do I choose from her file of worthy causes? I didn’t want to delay. The solution was to establish a donor-advised fund at SFCF with the lump sum from this account, allowing the funds to earn interest while I contemplated the distribution of the money. I believe in SFCF’s philosophy of investing for future growth.

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How has the Santa Fe Community Foundation and its team supported your philanthropy?

Deciding on programs to support is challenging. I felt bewildered while researching each organization in northern New Mexico. The SFCF grants officers and directors assisted me in connecting with local organizations that align with my specific interests and in understanding how every penny is spent. For ten years, I have relied on their research and site reports to distribute my inherited family wealth.

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Are there any stories of success from your giving that you would like to share?

I am an enthusiastic supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS)! Forty years ago, I became a big sister to a lovely young girl. We were matched based on our mutual interest in art. Today, she is a professional artist supporting her family. We still remain “sisters” and often speak at galas to raise funds for BBBS. We love to demonstrate how this successful one-on-one program helps youngsters stay grounded in their changing and often confusing worlds.

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I am a firm believer that once women come into political power, peace will finally have a chance. I have supported Tomorrow’s Women, who bring teenage girls together from Palestine and Israel to learn peacemaking techniques and become strong, compassionate peace ambassadors. It is a difficult task for such young girls to hear one another’s stories. So, when the film "Barbie" came to town, I just had to brighten their visit with a screening of this delightful film of female empowerment. I took all the girls and their Israeli and Palestinian leaders (dressed in pink) to the show!

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Lutheran Family Services and Temple Beth Shalom have assisted me in resettling three Afghan refugee families. I have always wanted to pay forward my refugee family's good fortune. Although I am Jewish, I (and my temple) feel strongly about reaching across boundaries to help Muslim families.

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