14 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • AUGUST 2021
COVER FEATURE
LONG ISLAND BUSINESS LEADERS
Lending a hand to local charitable organizations
is something that The Whitmore
Agency CEO James C. Metzger
and Bruderman Asset Management
Chairman Matthew J. Bruderman have
both been doing for many years.
The latest nonprofit that the Long Island
business leaders are lending a hand to
is The Book Fairies, a Freeport-based
organization founded by Amy Zaslansky
in 2012 as a solution for teachers
who were spending their own money
to buy books for students without home
libraries.
Metzger and Bruderman are making a
significant monetary donation to The
Book Fairies as part of a three-year
pledge. They recently presented the
initial check to the organization.
The mission of The Book Fairies is to
collect reading materials for people
in need throughout metropolitan New
York. “Those reading materials foster
literacy and academic success, provide
a respite from personal struggles, and
nurture a love of reading across age
groups,” according to the organization.
“For too long we had been existing as an
almost all-volunteer operation, distributing
almost 3 million books, without
focusing on fundraising — and that
formula is not sustainable,” according
to Eileen Minogue, executive director
of The Book Fairies.
“As an organization we decided two
years ago to work towards sustainability
and scaling,” she said, adding, “This
donation from Jim and Matt enables us
to to better fill the needs of those we
serve by building on our infrastructure,
hire additional support staff, and
increase efficiency. We are so grateful
for their investment in our mission,
both financially and via their strategic
ideas. Their desire to merge purpose
with their daily business life if refreshing
and inspiring.”
The Book Fairies is “going to build out
our monthly Community Book Fairs
where we open our warehouse to educators
who can take as many books as
they need,” she said. It also has unique
projects it started that she noted “will
bring books directly into the communities,
such as a pilot program with
the Suffolk and Nassau County Police
Departments and food distribution
organizations.”
Metzger and Bruderman recently spoke
with us about why they decided to donate
to The Book Fairies, why philanthropy is
so important to them, and more.
Why is your philanthropic work so
important to you and what kind of
organizations have you supported
in the past? James Metzger: I have
been very fortunate in my life and
am in a position to give back. I’m
very involved with athletics at my
alma maters Half Hollow Hills High
School and Hofstra University, as well
as St. Anthony’s High School, which
I’m closely aligned with. And then I
often get involved with my clients’
communities. It’s a win-win-win. It
helps my clients, the community and
I think it strengthens The Whitmore
Agency's brand. To involve ourselves
in that way helps create a positive image.
It feels good to be involved with
an organization like The Book Fairies.
I think the money is going right
where you want it to. I think they’re
doing great work and I’m happy and
“It’s extremely valuable
and it’s changing young
peoples’ lives,” says Jim
Metzger.
The Whitmore Agency CEO James C. Metzger and Bruderman Chairman Matthew J. Bruderman. (Photo by Jennifer Uihlein)
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