For the Feingolds, Guilford is more than just a place; it’s a part of their family. Jeff Feingold established a charitable fund to honor his mother, Natalie, father, Leonard (1941 – 2018), and sister, Beth Tenenbaum (1967-2012), and to celebrate their wonderful life in Guilford.

Lenny and Natalie met during a summer at a Catskill resort, reminiscent of the setting in Dirty Dancing. They worked as counselors and servers by day and enjoyed fun camp activities by night, like bingo and square dancing. Once Lenny earned his MBA at NYU and Natalie graduated from Beth Israel Nursing School, the couple married in 1967.

After a few years in Manhattan and Queens, a new job with New Haven-based Mite Corporation brought the Feingolds to Connecticut. As a lifelong New Yorker, Natalie was hesitant to leave but supported the decision that would change the trajectory of their lives.  

The family moved to Hamden and eventually to Guilford in 1972, where they thrived. Lenny pursued his dream of owning a small business, purchasing Chesley Sleep Center, and managing stores across four Connecticut towns, including Guilford. Despite the demanding nature of their business, Natalie balanced the home, their children, and her weekend shifts at Yale New Haven Hospital. Eventually, they chose to simplify life by focusing on the Guilford and Old Saybrook stores, selling the other two.

Their two children, Beth and Jeff, enjoyed an idyllic childhood in Guilford, relishing the town’s amenities and graduating from Guilford High School. They attended college, married, and had children.

Beth was known for her warmth and always lit up the room. She worked in the Cheshire school system and extensively volunteered until she passed away at 45 after a ten-year battle with breast cancer. Her sweet, amazing, and talented daughter, Madeline, is a biomedical engineer who currently lives in Boston with her fiancée, Brad.

Jeff’s 30-year finance and investment industry career took him to Massachusetts, where he resides today with his wife, Loren, and children, Kai and Grace. He is an active volunteer and philanthropist who founded the nonprofit Hope & Comfort out of his garage in 2011. The organization was recognized by CNN Heroes in 2021 and has delivered more than 10 million hygiene products to hundreds of thousands of children and adults in need across Massachusetts since its inception.

Natalie continues to be surrounded and supported by close friends in Guilford who have been a part of the her life and the family’s during their time in town. A cornerstone of the community; she helped launch Meals on Wheels through Guilford Interfaith Ministries (now known as Guilford Interfaith Volunteers) and regularly works at the polls during elections. Natalie lives at the Feingold family home and remains active, participating in Schiller Institute events, playing pickleball, and enjoying all Guilford offers.

In tribute to his family and the wonderful life they shared in Guilford, Jeff established the Natalie and Lenny Feingold and Beth Tenenbaum Family Fund. This unrestricted fund enables the foundation to address the current and future needs of the Guilford community.

Guilford played a meaningful role in the Feingold’s lives, giving them everything they wanted and more.