12 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • DECEMBER 2020
COVER FEATURE
DONOR SHARES WHY IT’S BETTER
The giving season is back, and this year
there are more people in need than at
any time in recent memory.
How does someone so inclined to donate
time or money prioritize where to
channel donations? James Metzger, the
founder, chairman, and chief executive
officer of The Whitmore Group, a Garden
City-based insurance agency, has
some ideas, having turned his business
success into prolific philanthropy to
help the most vulnerable.
“There’s an enormous gratification
one can derive from supporting charities,
foundations, and communities,”
Metzger says. “I really believe making
a difference in someone’s life will make
you feel better about yourself.”
He’s one of many benevolent people
opening their hearts and wallets to
give back to the community in its
time of need. He spoke with the
Press about why it’s important that
those who can afford to give do so.
This conversation has been edited
for length and clarity.
What is the philosophy that guides
your philanthropy? I don’t use the
word philanthropy ever. I like
to refer to my involvement
as
community service. It’s more impressive
when people give anonymously but I
started with three people 30 years ago
in Roslyn and I’ve worked assiduously
over three decades to build my company
and I feel that often my contributions are
directed at my clients’ community, which
enables my clients to benefit, I bolster my
relationship with my clients, and I also
strengthen my brand and enhance my
public image. I don’t pretend that I’m just
“I like to refer to my involvement as community
service.”
a wonderful human
being that does
so much for
so many. I
know the
value of
b r a n d
building
and mark
e t i n g
and my
g i v i n g
has enabled
me to
strengthen
my company
and give more.
And I don’t
think there’s anything wrong with that.
Maybe if I had sons or I pass on to the
next generation they’ll start out established
and maybe they could do it anonymously,
which is the most honorable, but
I’ve done it my way, which is to give back
to the community and build Whitmore’s
image in the community as well.
What inspired you to step up your
charitable giving this year? One of the
things I did this
year was to
make a
financial
donation
to the
He mp -
s t e a d
P o l i c e
Athlet ic
L e a g u e
( P A L ) .
We’ve been
introducing the
game of lacrosse
for a decade to
predominant ly
Black kids in
Hempstead who haven’t been exposed to
the game in the way that I was, growing
up in Huntington, or many of my former
teammates and players by and large have
been exposed to the game, in the suburbs
and some of the more exclusive areas. I
gave them a five-figure donation this
year just to beef up their uniforms and
equipment. That’s been personally a
very rewarding giveback.
Why is that important? Histoically
Blacks dominate the NBA and the NFL,
and I try to tell these young kids that
lacrosse doesn’t have the sex appeal of
football or basketball but the opportunity
that exists there for their futures
are much greater in that there isn’t the
same level of competition. Lacrosse
can help them in so many ways and
so many levels, including building
relationships that will last a lifetime.
But moreover lacrosse can
help them gain entry to college,
maybe attain a scholarship. There
are 700 schools that play lacrosse
in division I, II, and III. They could
go to a division III school and have a
lot of success as a lacrosse player and
that could become the foundation
upon which they build the rest of
their lives.
L. to R.: U.S. Army Col. E. David Woycik Jr. (Ret) and and James Metzger, CEO of The Whitmore Group
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