Schwartz Family: Tikkun Olam Woven Into Their DNA

Longtime Beverly Hills residents Lisa and Mark Schwartz exude a palpable sense of joy and enthusiasm for helping others. “There is no better feeling than giving back and improving the lives of others,” says Mark. “It’s immensely gratifying.” For Lisa, a community activist and City of Beverly Hills commissioner, and Mark, a successful entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and Foundation trustee, tikkun olam is woven into their DNA.

For nearly 30 years, Lisa has been volunteering at Camp Dream Street for seriously ill children. “It just warms my heart to see the smiles on the campers’ faces, knowing that the kids just had the best day of their lives.” Mark loves helping students succeed at his alma mater, Claremont McKenna College, by supporting scholarship initiatives and lecturing on entrepreneurship.

They chose to conduct their philanthropy—which permeates the Jewish, Israeli, and secular worlds—through The Foundation. As Mark explains, “The Jewish Community Foundation is an incredibly efficient way to make charitable donations, especially when transferring stock. Plus making grants is so easy to do online 24/7.” As a Foundation trustee, Mark offers his vote of confidence: “I think The Foundation is the best managed nonprofit I’ve ever been associated with due to its leadership, the staff’s longevity, and their encyclopedic knowledge of philanthropy.”