Community, Achieve, Evolve, Tzedakah
For almost 25 years, the vision, time, generosity and leadership of Lynne and Harold Honickman has been pivotal in Project HOME’s growth and success. Most significantly, their leadership greatly enhanced our belief in “the transformational power of education as crucial to addressing the degradation of homelessness and poverty.” The Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs stands as a beacon of opportunity for education and workforce development for children and their families.
Lynne and Harold instantly understood and embraced our mission. They became personally involved by contributing to a community in which each person can flourish. In laying the foundation for the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs, they believed, as we do, that what was at stake was not only the precious lives of young children who deserve a better chance, but the moral barometer of our society.
One of our fondest memories was in 2013 when the staff, neighbors, and program participants at the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs threw a festive party for Harold’s 75th birthday. At one point, several dozen of the young children from the Learning Center programs surrounded Lynne and Harold, exuding affection and excitement.
Hugging the children, Lynne and Harold beamed in delight.
Were we to abide by the economic fault lines of our society, this beautiful moment might never have happened. The world of Forbes 400 and children from one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods came together in that moment; a family who worked the American dream with tremendous success, and young people who, without opportunity, might never have a chance at the American dream.
Lynne and Harold have been leveraging opportunities for decades now, investing their resources to enhance the quality of life for thousands of people in the greater Philadelphia area. Among the most highly respected and highly influential philanthropists in our region, they have left their mark in the fields of health, education, the arts, and fostering Jewish heritage. But one of their deepest commitments has been to fellow Americans who struggle with poverty and homelessness.
The cornerstone of the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs is engraved with the words Community, Achieve, Evolve, and Tzedakah. These words capture their aspirations for the children, but also point to their deep Jewish faith. Lynne and Harold absorbed the value of tzedakah, which though commonly translated as “charity,” has the richer meaning of justice.
Anything built on this cornerstone will last a long time.
