Honoring the wishes of our donors while addressing today's problems
Since 1924, donors have set up funds at The Trust during their lifetimes, or in their wills, to make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers. We firmly (sometimes even ferociously) honor their charitable intentions.
We give to the most effective charities in the City and suburbs, and those trying promising but untested projects. Here are a few examples of the work accomplished through charitable funds we have managed for decades.
Helen Merrill, an influential theatrical agent, established in her will a fund at The Trust to continue her lifelong encouragement of playwrights. Today, The Trust ensures that every year talented playwrights
receive cash awards in her name.
Henry W. Grady talks about why he set up the Bonnie Cashin Fund in The Trust.
Sally left her estate to The Trust to "provide educational assistance and training to gifted young persons who aspire to a career in the arts." After much research, The Trust decided that the best way to carry out her wishes was through
creating the Van Lier fellowships.
Victor Heiser: Searching for a Cure
For more than 30 years, The Trust has carried on Dr. Heisers passion to find a cure for leprosy and diseases like it, and his goal is ever closer to being reached. In 1995, we funded a five-year project to map the leprosy genome, which resulted in an increased understanding of the bacterium and pointed to
new ways to identify and fight it.
Mr. Florio wanted his fund to, "hasten the conquest of human misery and physical suffering" and use the money for research in the field of blood disease. Through his generosity,
The Trust has supported work on AIDS, polycythemia vera, myeloma, and hypermutation.
She gave her money "to assist the elderly...with the problems of loneliness and boredom." For years, we made grants to senior centers that took elders to concerts and other outings. But by the mid-'90s, with many elderly New Yorkers being cared for by poorly paid, unhappy home health aides rather than family, we
started to use the Park Fund differently.
When he died in 1933, he left his estate to The Trust in an unrestricted fund. Today, we are bringing together his passion for industry and nature. A $40,000 grant from the Wheaton B. Kunhardt Fund to the New York Industrial Retention Network is helping local businesses get tax credits and
grants for energy-efficient equipment, and to produce green products.
In 1924, Mrs. Schiff asked that a prize be given in her former principal's name to a girl graduating from P.S. 9 who "has earned the highest commendation of her teachers," and for 85 years,
her wish has been honored.