Guided by faith and determined to make a difference, Lesley Mitchell Jones gives back to lift up children and seniors in need.
Lesley grew up in Connecticut as the oldest of three children. Her mother, Anne, nurtured Lesley’s Catholic faith and also set a trailblazing example as the CFO of a local business. When Lesley built a successful career of her own as a partner and an investment banker at a Wall Street firm, she held fast to the lessons of hard work and compassion she learned at home.
Through the years – first in the northeast and now in her adopted home in Broward – Lesley has prioritized donating her time and financial support to helping others. Lesley’s deep involvement with Kids in Distress, Inc. has spanned over twenty-five years and she has served as a Board Chair and Board Member. She also became a foster mother and an adopted parent through the program, as well as made a gift to fund the Education and Recreation Center on campus. United Way, Healthy Start and the I Have a Dream Foundation are among the other organizations and agencies where Lesley has gotten involved to help struggling children. She also continues to mentor students weekly at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale. Never forgetting her roots, Lesley created a job readiness center and placement program for high school students at her alma mater, the Norwich Free Academy, in honor of her mother.
In 2014, Lesley partnered with the Community Foundation of Broward to help her be more strategic with her giving and to ensure her impact never ends. She established three endowed charitable funds at the Community Foundation: one dedicated to supporting organizations she cares about deeply, one to tackle pressing community challenges as they emerge and another to provide support for seniors in need. Enlisting the Community Foundation gives Lesley peace of mind knowing our expert team will shepherd and grow her funds so grantmaking in her name continues forever.
Now, Lesley is launching an exciting new chapter in her philanthropy by becoming one of our Community Builders – philanthropists with endowed funds of $1 million or more at the Community Foundation. By adding to her three endowed funds today, and by locking in future support through her estate plan, Lesley is investing in the Community Foundation’s ability to amplify her charitable impact for the community she loves.
We’re so thankful that Lesley knows she can trust the Community Foundation to help her make a real difference in people’s lives today and for generations to come
“I am honored to join a special breed of Broward philanthropists who provide long-term support for agencies and programs that serve our county’s most vulnerable citizens. The Community Foundation’s vision and dedicated leadership made me a believer early on. I’m proud to take this next step with the Foundation.” – Lesley Mitchell Jones
More About Our Community Builders
Community Builders are BOLD leaders who partner with the Community Foundation to establish endowed charitable Funds of $1 million or more to shape a brighter future for the community they love.
Through the power of endowment, the gifts from these individuals, families and local organizations fuel innovation and tackle Broward’s biggest issues today and forever.
Click here to learn more about all of our Community Builders.
How To Become A Community Builder
Thanks to the momentum of our BE BOLD Leadership Campaign, more visionary local philanthropists are stepping up to join the ranks of our Community Builders.
The BE BOLD Leadership Campaign sparks innovation, inspires new thinking and uses the power of endowment to create permanent resources that tackle Broward’s big challenges. With a one-time gift or a pledge to build your support over time, you can create an endowed charitable Fund and become a Community Builder who shapes a brighter future for Broward.
Click here to learn more about the BE BOLD Leadership Campaign.
To learn more about our Community Builders and the BE BOLD Leadership Campaign, contact Vice President of Philanthropic Services Kelly Marmol at kmarmol@cfbroward.org or 954-761-9503.
