THE RETURN OF THE JFM ANNUAL LUNCHEON HEADLINED BY A TRULY INSPIRATIONAL KEYNOTE
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After three years, the Jewish Foundation
of Manitoba Luncheon in support of the
Women's Endowment Fund returns to the
calendar Friday, May 12, 2023, at the RBC
Convention Centre Winnipeg.
We are thrilled to welcome our keynote
speaker for the 2023 JFM Luncheon, Jim
Estill, CEO of Danby Appliances and renowned
philanthropist. Jim's ongoing work with
refugees from Syria, Ukraine, and many other
war-torn countries is second to none. Believing
that we can all do something to improve our
community, no matter the scale, Jim is taking
steps daily to help improve the lives of those
around him.
We recently sat down with Jim to ask him
a few questions about his philosophies on
philanthropy and making an impact.
You've now helped settle hundreds of
refugee families in Canada. Can you describe
your feelings when the first family touched
down in Canada?
In 2015 I could see what was happening on
the news, which caused me angst. I started
thinking, 'what could I do to do something?'
Of course, I would want to stop the war, but
that is beyond my capability. I learned Canada
has a private refugee sponsorship program,
so I found out I could sponsor refugees and
started doing that. It took over two years for
the first families to arrive, so there was a lot
of hurry up and wait. When the first families
came, seeing the smiles on people's faces felt
so good. They were so relieved and so happy
to be here, and it filled my heart with warmth.
Tell us about your continued efforts with
these families after they arrive.
It is vital that families are properly settled.
Things like: finding a dentist, finding a doctor,
registering the kids for school, getting bus
passes, riding the bus with them and showing
them around the city. Nothing can be missed,
so we have a long checklist that we go through
every time. For each family we bring in, we
have four or five mentor families who work through the list. We keep up with the families
and see how they are doing. It's supporting
people through a hard time. During that first
month, it's intense, but after that, it all eases
off.
If people are hesitant and think, "what
impact can I really make?" How would you
respond to that?
The key is that everyone should give within
their means. Whatever is meaningful for a
person is meaningful for them, and does their
part. It doesn't matter what cause it's for;
you should give something back. Everyone in
Canada is exceptionally fortunate; we wake
up in the morning in a safe place. We are all
blessed, and giving back some of what we
have, no matter the scale, gives us a feeling
like nothing else can. Don't be shy about how
much you can contribute. Do something on
your scale.
Recently, you posted the following quote:
"Your purpose in life is to find your purpose
and give your whole heart and soul to it."
– Gautama Buddha. Would you say you've
found your purpose?
I have spent a lot of time on purpose. My
purpose in life is to help as many people as
possible achieve their greatest potential.
Recognizing that as my purpose filters how
I spend my time and energy. To achieve my
goals, I also need to expand my platform.Coming to speak to people as I will at the
Foundation luncheon helps me accomplish
that. If I talk to 100 people, I hope that those
100 people will leave with the inspiration to
do just a little bit more.
What do you hope that attendees take
away from your keynote at the luncheon?
I will be successful as a speaker if people
change one thing they're doing. It can be
now or any time down the road. That is done
through true inspiration. I won't give you
the secret now, but I will share the secret of
happiness at the luncheon. I believe that if
people come and learn this secret, they will,
in turn, lead happier lives.