In re Morton Shoe Co.

The Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston (CJP) solicited pledges from the community during annual campaign drives and used the resulting pledge cards to set its operating budget, hire staff, and decide distributions. Morton Shoe Company, Inc. (Morton Shoe) pledged $10,000 for each of five consecutive years and paid the first three years in full, but filed for bankruptcy before paying the last two. CJP filed a claim in the bankruptcy proceeding for the unpaid 1979 and 1980 pledges, and Morton Shoe objected that the pledges were unenforceable gratuitous promises.