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Win

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Whether it's homelessness,
domestic abuse, childhood illness,
developmentally disabled adults
or cultural organizations,
Jewish businesses are offering a helping hand.

JULIE EDGAR STAFF WRITER

abe Rubin was so frail at birth, the same neonatal unit he'd been rushed
the only hope for his survival was to from Sinai. Both of us started crying;
the technology and expertise of- it brought back so much. Here we saw lit-
fered at a single local hospital. tle kids who had the same condition, or
From Sinai, the 4-pound infant in some cases were in rougher shape than
was sped by ambulance to Children's Hos- Gabe. We shared that with other people
pital. His father Robert sat hunched in who came with us. Gabe really owes be-
ing alive to Children's Hospital," he said.
the back, numb with fright.
The match program took shape when
Today, Gabe is a strapping 17-year-old
student at Berkley High School. His fa- Ken Towne joined Investaid and sug-
gested that casual days at the company
ther fairly gloats about him.
Robert Rubin never forgot the care his — Wednesdays and Fridays — be tied
middle son received at Children's, which into a giving program. Today, the com-
pany's 40 or so employees con-
diagnosed Gabe with hyaline
tribute $3 to the Children's
membrane disease, an acute res-
Jeff Sny der and
Hospital fund weekly if they
piratory disorder that killed John Wayne Wudyka
choose to dress casually on those
and Jacqueline Kennedy's child
put clo thes on
days. In turn, Mr. Rubin, a Hunt-
Patrick.
people' s backs.
ington Woods resident, and his
So when a new employee sug-
partner Bob Davis, of West
gested a matching program in
which employees and the company would Bloomfield, match the donations dollar
donate an equal amount of money to a for dollar.
"Children's writes us very nice letters.
cause of their choosing, he knew exactly
They're pleased, but mainly we're pleased.
where to go.
In the past 3 112 years, Investaid Cor- People go down there and they can see
poration, a wholesale mortgage banking what they're doing," Mr. Rubin said.
Investaid is among dozens of local com-
firm in Birmingham, has donated more
than $14,500 to Children's Hospital's panies that are sharing their good for-
Neonatal Unit. Employees, including Mr. tune. Nationwide, charitable giving is on
Rubin and his wife Judy, have made four the rise this year — projected to be up by
trips to the hospital during that time to 7.5 percent from last year, according to
The Chronicle of Philanthropy. One hun-
see the facility.
"When we had our first visit there, my
wife took our baby book and we visited WINGS page 55

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