David Dombrowiak: Leaving a Legacy of Compassion

David T. Dombrowiak is retiring as the President and CEO of the beloved west side Community West Foundation.

As a testament to his compassion and depth of his faith, Community West Foundation inherits his legacy as a visionary leader. He has served as the organization’s President and CEO for 21 years.

His career has planted the seeds of inspiration for many to see God’s love made visible.

His support and concern for the marginalized, the oppressed, the downtrodden, the poor and the broken hearted are the stamp of the many Community West Foundation programs that serve the West Side as well as Fairview and Lutheran Hospitals.

David has approached philanthropy with creativity, encouraging efforts to strengthen the health and well being of our community. He has raised public awareness of the issues that affect all: homelessness, hunger, mental illness, the disabled, and the inability of many to access quality health care.

David’s vision for the Foundation’s Strategic Plan is drawn from the words of Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

This message reflects the core principle of the Foundation’s work and mission: To care for the least of our brothers and sisters in need.

That mantra has led to a litany of efforts that carry David’s creative signature.

His devotion to uplifting the marginalized led him to create the SocksPlus Program at Community West Foundation in 2014. The project has collected over $1 million in monetary donations and in-kind items for our neighbors suffering and burdened by homelessness. It is emblematic of his Community West Foundation initiatives that continue to change and improve how the poor are served in our community.

Through David’s efforts, Community West Foundation welcomed the inspiring sculpture, “Homeless Jesus” to its campus. It is the work of world-renowned Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz and it is capturing the heart and soul of people.

The sculpture represents Jesus as a homeless person lying on a bench covered by a blanket. It is a dramatic visual representation of Matthew 25:40. Mr. Dombrowiak has made Homeless Jesus available as a gift to the entire community. The public art travels to area churches and schools to raise awareness of the homeless among us.

David has initiated and hosted community Poverty Simulations. These outreach seminars engage the community to understand more deeply, empathize more fully, and treat those in poverty with more dignity and respect. The experience adds depth to their work to gain a better understanding of the daily challenges of living in poverty.

When David started at Community West Foundation 21 years ago, there was no logo, no mission or Strategic Plan, no website, and limited community awareness of Community West.

Today, the assets of the Foundation are now an astounding $126 million.

Foundation grantmaking has also increased under David’s leadership, with the Foundation giving $101 million to care for the needs of our community. The foundation’s total donations are over $90 million from donors who believe in the Foundation mission and place their trust in David.

Broadening the efforts of the Foundation, David created the Invest West Program, offering creative, collaborative ways to encourage giving and promote philanthropy locally.

Through the Colleagues Program, David has shared Planned Giving expertise with local nonprofit organizations, securing gifts that they might not otherwise be able to obtain. He knows the importance of providing the best in philanthropic services to donors and nonprofit partners to make the most of every charitable dollar to help those in need.

David Dombrowiak has also been committed to the refugee community and refugee issues. His support has built bridges across a wide variety of cultures, ethnic backgrounds and traditions. As the Chairman of the Board of the Caritas Baby Hospital of Bethlehem Foundation, he has helped to grow charitable donations for a hospital located in the midst of great turmoil and in one of the most impoverished regions in the world. This support provides a new source of hope for the most vulnerable infants in the place where the Christ Child was born.

In September 2010, David was invested as a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He has risen to the rank of Knights Commander with Star. He also accepted the call to lead the Cleveland, Toledo and Youngstown section of the North Central Lieutenancy of the Order. The Order has provided exemplary service to the Church, and a readiness to serve the needs of the Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land, demonstrating Christianity in its purest form.

Mr. Dombrowiak has won awards for his work and activism. He has been recognized for his outstanding civic, community and charitable works by many local leaders and organizations, as well as by the U.S. Senate and The White House.

He is most admired, however, for his tender heart for the suffering.

David Dombriwiak leaves an important message as his legacy: We become more complete as human beings by caring more about others and to be present to those in need.

David Dombriowiak has helped all to see that of God in each person, that special Spark of the Divine, and to be the magnificent beings of compassion and light that all are designed to become.

Each of the Community West Foundation Trustees are crucial to its mission. But no one more so than David Dombrowiak, who has steadfastly encouraged all to set high expectations, confront challenges and lead boldly.

The heart of David Dombrowiak has been unwavering for the forgotten, the homeless, the hungry, the refugee, the mentally ill, the hurting and suffering. He is an untiring champion for the less fortunate, and his great courage and imaginative spirit have been a gift to the community. He has transformed Community West Foundation in ways that will continue to benefit Cleveland’s West Side for years to come.

As David and Mary Ann Dombrowiak, who reside in Lakewood where they are members of St. Luke’s Parish, now enter a new phase of life, they take with them the heartfelt thanks of a community.