Car Mitzvah Queen: Karli Sherwinter

Most people don’t think of Jewish Family Service (JFS) when they think about donating their cars. But thanks to Karli Sherwinter, the word is spreading that JFS takes car donations.

A few years ago, Karli and her husband, Danny, discussed donating their car to another nonprofit after a car dealership offered them $100 to trade in their car. At the same time, they received a JFS newsletter with an ad about JFS’s car donation program. “It was so easy,” Karli recalls, “we would get a deduction in the amount of the blue book value up to $500, unless the car sold for more.” She handed the car over with the title and keys and thought that was the end of it. “A few months later, I got a letter letting us know that the car had sold at an auction for $3,400. All that money went to JFS and we got a tax deduction for that amount.”

Karli and Danny’s act of generosity has led to a chain of positive events for JFS. Now we can’t imagine Boulder JFS without Karli’s enthusiastic smile and contagious energy. She is a member of Boulder JFS’s Advisory and Reel Hope Boulder event committees. Karli has been instrumental in advancing JFS’s outreach and development efforts. She has a natural way of bringing life to everything she does, including getting her friends involved as volunteers and donors. Karli says, “It makes sense to work on programs that directly help our community. I enjoy volunteering on the committees because Boulder JFS is a great organization and we see the results of our fundraising efforts.”

Boulder JFS was especially grateful to Karli when she agreed to dress up as a Golden Girl at the 2015 Reel Hope Boulder and serve in costume and character as the co-host of the event. Karli and committee member, Summer Lenderman, delivered a spot-on performance of Golden Girls characters Rose and Dorothy in honor of the evening’s special guest, former Golden Girl writer Marc Sotkin.

Karli, who is the mother of three children and works at the Boulder Jewish Community Center as the preschool admissions director, continues to promote the car donation program. “When I hear about friends who want to donate a car, I tell them about JFS and that their donation will benefit local services.” In the past two years, JFS has received two additional car donations from Karli’s friends.

Karli is the ultimate JFS ambassador for Boulder JFS. She has referred many people for care management and recruited support group participants and volunteers. “I didn’t grow up in Boulder, but I want to be invested in growing services and programs for people of all ages,” Karli says.  Boulder JFS thanks Karli for her generous gifts of time, resources, and connections. We feel truly blessed to know Karli and have her as a volunteer and donor.

Learn more about donating your used car or call 720.387.5124. All donations made in the Boulder area will directly benefit Boulder JFS.