JESPY House, a nonprofit organization serving adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), announced a major gift of $500,000 from The Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation. The donation supports the organization’s “Go Big for JESPY” Capital Campaign and was made in honor of philanthropist Leon Cooperman, a gift that also qualifies for the Cooperman Family Foundation’s $13.25 million matching challenge.
The “Go Big for JESPY” campaign aims to fund two new flagship facilities, The JESPY Center and The Hub. These buildings will provide 66 adults with affordable housing, including aging-in-place options and transitional residences for young adults. They will also expand program and service spaces for all 400 JESPY clients.
Audrey Winkler, executive director of JESPY House, highlighted the donation’s impact.
“This generous gift is a powerful continuation of the Och family’s legacy and a testament to the impact of visionary philanthropy,” she said. “With support from donors like the Och family, we’re not just building residences and program space—we’re building community, opportunity, and a future where adults with disabilities can thrive.”
This latest gift continues the Och family’s long-standing support for JESPY. In 2019, they established The Michael Och House, a center for aging named in honor of Dr. Michael Och, a former member of JESPY’s Board of Trustees.
In recognition of the new donation, JESPY will name a central program and education space in The JESPY Center “The Collaboratorium” in honor of Jane and Daniel Och. This space will host a variety of workshops and programming to support lifelong learning and community connection.
JESPY House is now entering the public phase of its campaign and is inviting the broader community to contribute, with all donations being matched dollar-for-dollar by the Cooperman Family.
