Jerry Fisher, PhD, and Jonathan Rosenfeld Recognized with 2025 Philanthropy Award

Jerry Fisher and Jonathan Rosenfeld are champions of philanthropy and of Rochester Area Community Foundation. They share a commitment to making giving more inclusive, more impactful, and more joyful — and a heartfelt conviction that we can do even more when we give together. 

Through their fund, Jerry and Jonathan have supported collaborative giving initiatives like the LGBT+ Giving Circle, NextGen Giving Circle, African American Giving Initiative, and the Black Giving Collective — where people come together to pool resources, foster equity, and build community. By offering matching gifts that encourage broader participation, they embody the belief that philanthropy is at its best when it brings more people to the table. 

Jerry and Jonathan are natural connectors, whether they are introducing their networks to a cause or the rewarding world of philanthropy.

Jonathan, with his trademark enthusiasm for helping others, helped motivate with his friend and neighbor — the founder of the Bouie Foundation — to launch the 50 Winks program, which builds beds for children in need across Western New York.

They are enthusiastic hosts, opening their lakeside home in Orleans County for fundraisers — including Evening Out at Home events — where their energy for philanthropy is nothing short of contagious.  

Because they see the greater community as “home,” giving where they live is second nature. “You invest in your home,” says Jonathan. “If it needs work, you do it.” One local nonprofit that has benefited from this mindset is Families Thrive, Inc, which strives to find homes for children in foster care. Jonathan himself was adopted from Vietnam.

Both Jerry and Jonathan inherited strong philanthropic legacies from their parents. Jerry was in college the first time his mother invited dozens of people — mostly international students — to their home for the holidays. Similarly, Jonathan’s parents welcomed members of their faith community into their home to stay as long as they needed.  

Now, Jerry and Jonathan serve as a haven for people in their community in times of emotional need. They find purpose in being able to connect people to resources during challenging times, like introducing a gay teen in need of sanctuary to the Arnett House. 

Successful careers have fueled the Orleans couple’s capacity to give. Jonathan has specialized in marketing and brand building across the fashion, automotive, and healthcare industries. Jerry earned a PhD in business administration and consulted with Fortune 500 companies. In 2016, they blended their talents as co-founders of Innovating Edge, Inc, in order to help organizations build successful teams. 

Inspired by research from the Brookings Institute and Stanford, Jerry believes that Rochester can become one of the top five artificial intelligence hubs in the country. He hopes to help mobilize philanthropy resources to help bring that vision to life.

Jerry & Jonathan’s Philanthropic Flavor

• Inspiring others with enthusiasm and joy
• Believing in the power philanthropy can have when more people are involved
• Focusing on what we all have in common, rather than what divides us

Jerry and Jonathan’s philanthropy is highly compatible. Jerry’s passion is to help the poorest of the poor, a mantra shared by late wife Joyce DeHaan throughout their 43-year relationship. His aspiration for our region is to make big progress on poverty so more people can do the things they love.  

Jonathan is motivated to heal race relations, volunteering his time with organizations like Odyssey of Humanity — founded by his parents to confront racism — and the Massey Commission. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA2+ community, Jonathan sees philanthropy as a way of building unity in a divided world. 

“We have an amazing opportunity to show what a community does when we are united.” 

—Jonathan Rosenfeld, Philanthropy Award Honoree

Jonathan and Jerry demonstrate how powerful philanthropy becomes when we bring others along — and they choose to lead by example. The Community Foundation is proud to recognize their spirited advocacy and lasting impact with a Philanthropy Award. 

Explore past Philanthropy Award honorees.