Donor Stories: The Perfect Fit

Meet The Fine-Nadler family and learn how their history drives their passion to give back 

At first glance, you might not think the Fine-Nadler families would be MetroHealth donors. But dig a little deeper, listen to their story and you’ll learn why it’s the perfect fit.

Amy Nadler, along with her brother Randy Fine, manage the Irving and Gloria Fine Foundation. They live on the east side of Cleveland eighteen miles away from MetroHealth’s main campus, anchored by the state-of-the-art Glick Center that opened in November 2022. They don’t get their care at MetroHealth, and they donate to other healthcare institutions in Cleveland – so why would the family foundation invest their support in MetroHealth?

It all goes back to family, relationships, and a deep commitment to the community. Let’s start with family. Amy and Randy’s grandparents met at the Jewish Orphanage Home. Their grandmother volunteered for many organizations, including B’nai Brith. Their parents met at Halle’s department store. He sold shoes. She sold purses. When he made a sale, he would direct the buyer to her for a matching purse. A perfect fit.

Amy says growing up in Beachwood they had a comfortable life and giving back was always an important part of it, instilled by their parents, Irving and Gloria Fine. Her father’s philosophy was “make sure you are giving a little to everyone.” Gloria, who just turned 94, demonstrated through her actions the importance of volunteering and helping others. Amy and Randy watched their mother volunteer for so many organizations, they joke that their mother has been a professional volunteer her whole life.  Now, Amy and Randy volunteer together. “Being Jewish,” Amy says, “meant we helped other people, not just those who were Jewish.” They adopted that philosophy and added, “the highest form of giving is to give to someone you don’t know.”

Irving and Gloria established The Irving and Gloria Fine Foundation while he was still alive, and they always encouraged their children to make important contributions to the community. As early as 2014, Irving’s relationship with MetroHealth began. That’s when he was invited to meet with former MetroHealth board trustee Terry Monnolly and Dr. Al Connors who was then MetroHealth’s Chief Medical Officer. Irving was moved by MetroHealth’s mission and made an estate commitment.  He passed away in 2016 and now Gloria, Amy, and Randy continue to make sure his passion to help others continues.

Fast forward to 2022. Amy meets with Debbie Rothschild, Director of Individual Giving at MetroHealth. The two were already acquainted because Amy taught Debbie’s children at Fairmount Temple close to 20 years ago. And it turns out Irving and Debbie had a connection as well. 

In 2014, Debbie donated a kidney to a friend in need. She was the only available match. Irving found out about Debbie’s act of generosity. He was so moved he wrote a check to the Kidney Foundation in her honor, recognizing her selfless act of generosity and kindness --- saying that he would support anything Debbie was a part of.

And now a shared passion moves a tradition of generosity forward. The Irving and Gloria Fine Foundation made generous gifts in 2022 and 2023 to MetroHealth’s Institute for H.O.P.E.™.

The Institute for H.O.P.E.™ was created in 2019 to address non-clinical factors impacting the well-being of MetroHealth patients. Greater Cleveland has some of the best health care institutions in the world. Yet it also has some of the worst health outcomes across its population.  Across two local ZIP codes, just five miles apart, residents have a 23-year difference in their life expectancy. The simple reality is that while quality medical care is essential, it’s not nearly enough.

Experts believe that roughly 80% of a person’s health depends on factors beyond medical care:  where you live, what’s going on around you, your socioeconomic status, your education level, your habits. These factors are often called the “social drivers of health.” That’s why MetroHealth provides programs and resources to address these social drivers and create health equity for every patient and every person. One patient at a time, MetroHealth is building a healthier community.

Funny, how it all comes back around. A relationship that started with Irving nearly a decade ago flourishes as his family foundation continues to help those in need, even those they don’t know.

And credit? Their family wants nothing to do with credit, they just want to “pass it along” and encourage others to do the same. They believe in the Jewish values around tikkum olan (repairing the world). MetroHealth’s Institute for H.O.P.E.™ exemplifies those values. What a Perfect Fit.