Mid Island Y JCC announced it received a transformative naming gift from longtime member Dr. Harvey Manes and the Manes Peace Prize Foundation. In recognition of the gift, the agency will be renamed Manes JCC.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, September 2, during a community-wide celebration at the agency’s Plainview, New York, location, drawing members, neighbors and supporters from across Long Island. The event featured remarks from JCC CEO Rick Lewis, board leadership, and Dr. Manes, along with the unveiling of the agency’s new name.
“Philanthropy is not an add-on to what we do at Mid Island Y JCC; it’s the reason our programs, spaces and services exist today,” said Rick Lewis, the CEO of the Manes JCC, in a press release. “We’ve grown and flourished for 70 years because people who believe in this community have chosen to invest in it. This gift from Dr. Harvey Manes and the Manes Peace Prize Foundation is the newest and one of the most significant chapters in that story.”
Dr. Manes is an orthopedic surgeon, attorney, author and philanthropist. A longtime member of Mid Island Y JCC, his relationship with the agency began in an exercise class and deepened over time. He previously supported the naming of the agency’s Arts and Culture Center, and that growing commitment has now culminated in this landmark gift from Dr. Manes and the Manes Peace Prize Foundation, which he oversees with his children.
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“This organization has given so much to this community for so long, and I’ve felt that impact firsthand,” said Dr. Manes. “The Manes Peace Prize Foundation and I are proud to be part of the next chapter of this agency, and we hope this gift will help it do even more for the people for our community and those who need it most.”
The gift will fund a combination of immediate capital improvements and longer-term investments in the agency’s facilities and programs. Three projects are already underway: resealing and restriping the parking lot ahead of members’ return in September, installing a new floor in the group fitness studio, and replacing fitness center equipment that has been in place since the facility’s 2012 renovation.
“These three projects are just the beginning,” said Vicki Diamond, the president of the Manes JCC board of directors. “In the coming weeks and months, our board and leadership will determine how the remainder of this extraordinary gift will be put to work, and we cannot wait to share those plans with our community as they take shape.”
Agency leaders regard the gift as transformative while recognizing the ongoing generosity that has always sustained the organization.
“We’re beyond grateful to Dr. Harvey Manes and the Manes Peace Prize Foundation,” Diamond added. “This gift isn’t a finish line. It’s fuel for a community that has always shown up for itself and one that we are counting on to continue showing up.”
The name change represents an investment in the organization’s future, not a change to its mission. Manes JCC will continue to operate as a J serving individuals and families of every age, background and faith.
