Marilyn and Monroe Markovitz want to leave a permanent impact on their community. “We want to leave some evidence that we were here on this earth,” reflects Monroe, as he nears his 90thbirthday.
That’s precisely what the Markovitz family is doing by establishing the Marilyn & Monroe Markovitz Child Life Specialist, a permanent position at The Valerie Fund Children’s Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, the same hospital where Marilyn Markovitz was born 87 years ago.
“I feel strongly that when people have enough, they should want to give back. This is a philosophy that was transmitted to us, which our sons also absorbed. We are in a very fortunate position to be able to give back. I would even go so far as to say it is mandatory,” Marilyn says.
Barry Kirschner, Executive Director of The Valerie Fund, beams when speaking about the Markovitzes and their generosity. “What a wonderful experience to meet such a generous family from our local community who wanted to understand our kids needs and then permanently support a specific program with their philanthropy. We could not be prouder.”
As they learned the specifics about the types of psychosocial services offered by The Valerie Fund, the Markovitzes settled on directing a $1.8 million gift to ensure that The Valerie Fund children will always have the guidance of a child life specialist to accompany them throughout their medical journeys, to offer age-appropriate education about their illness and treatment, and to provide friendly distractions during difficult procedures.
New Jersey natives, Marilyn and Monroe raised their own four boys in Hillside while Monroe established a successful real estate business in Union. The boys, now grown with their own families, chose to honor their parents following the sale of the family business by creating a legacy at The Valerie Fund, which Marilyn learned about from a friend who is also a Valerie Fund supporter. It was important to establish a lasting imprint on an organization that served families in their local community and had a clear and direct impact. Although their sons were pivotal in establishing this new position in their parents’ name, they want none of the recognition.
The first person to hold the position of Marilyn and Monroe Markovitz Child Life Specialist is a veteran child life specialist Jillian Hinko, CCLS, who has been at The Valerie Fund Children’s Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center for over a decade.