Dana Archer-Rosenthal

Why did you open a DAF at Brooklyn Org?

I opened a DAF in memory my mom, Elayne Grant Archer, who died suddenly in April 2024. I wanted to find a way to carry forward her generosity, her commitment to the causes she cared deeply about, and her love of Brooklyn, where she made her home for more than 50 years and raised me and my brother. I’m exploring starting a giving circle because I want to motivate more people to support this borough that has shaped me so profoundly.

What issue areas are you most passionate about supporting?

The issues that I’m most passionate about supporting are ones that my mom cared deeply about: reproductive health and abortion access, and the well-being of women and children, and economic opportunity. There is obviously a lot of crossover between these issues! I’m also passionate about supporting immigrants, as my mother, her brother and her mother emigrated to Canada from England after my grandmother was widowed in World War II, and my mother continued her family’s immigration story by coming to this country for college in the early 1960s.

How does your DAF help you support Brooklyn and your community?

Having a DAF has been so fun! I love learning about the different communities and organizations that Brooklyn Org is supporting and directing support to them.  I really appreciate that Brooklyn Org is supporting small organizations that are so close to the needs of their community but might not have the same resources for fundraising as bigger organizations. I have been an admired of Brooklyn Org’s trust-based approach to philanthropy and its responsiveness to community needs for a while, so I’m really happy to have a way to support them with my DAF.