Harold Grinspoon decided to splurge 10 years ago and bought a boat. While other multimillionaires sail 150-foot yachts, Grinspoon launched a 17-foot whaler, which his wife described as a “floating bathtub.” It sank not long afterward.
It was one of the last times he bought a big gift for himself. “I don’t like to spend my money frivolously,” said Grinspoon, 83, of Longmeadow.
He made his millions in the real estate business and has since used that expertise in philanthropy, funneling contributions from his foundation to programs that deliver results and have the potential to grow. Since its founding in 1993, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation of West Springfield has given more than $120 million to Jewish causes, identifying undervalued assets in the Jewish community and revitalizing them through partnerships that bring in more money and resources.
