News

As of February 1, 2025, Gerstner Philanthropies has awarded $16.8 million to support the Helping Hands emergency grant program at 25 organizations. These funds are projected to stabilize nearly 10,500 households facing a one-time financial emergency over the next two years. Of the total funding, $14.7 million will support emergency grant programs at 18 social service organizations nationwide, including three network organizations that oversee and subgrant to 66 emergency aid providers across 27 states. An additional $2.1 million will fund student emergency aid programs at seven colleges in the Greater New York City area. By both expanding partnerships and deepening support for existing grantees, Gerstner Philanthropies aims to assist more individuals in crisis while equipping partner organizations with the resources needed to deliver aid efficiently and effectively.

Gerstner Philanthropies is proud to support Hostos Community College in fostering discussions on philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. On March 4, Hostos hosted "Women in Philanthropy", featuring sector leaders, including our Program Officer, Victoria Coker. The panel explored career paths, nonprofit challenges, and trust-based philanthropy, followed by interactive workshops on leadership and advocacy. We applaud Hostos for inspiring the next generation of changemakers and look forward to continued collaboration.

The Gerstner Family Office is seeking an Executive Administrative Assistant at IBM to support Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. and his work at Gerstner Philanthropies. Bring your administrative expertise to advance impactful work in Biomedical Research, Environment, Education, and Helping Hands. Join our collegial and mission-driven team to make a real difference.

Boca Helping Hands is increasing its capacity to fight hunger in Palm Beach County with a new delivery truck funded by Christine E. Lynn and Gerstner Philanthropies. This vital addition will enable the organization to distribute up to 5 million pounds of food annually, a significant increase from the 3.8 million pounds delivered last year. The truck will be unveiled on December 19 and will begin its service by delivering food to underserved public-school students to help bridge weekend meal gaps. Gerstner Philanthropies is proud to partner with Boca Helping Hands to expand food access for those in need.

In January 2022, American Museum of Natural History Curator Melanie Hopkins was looking through boxes of historic trilobite specimens slated to be included in the Museum’s yet-to-open Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Collections Core when she noticed something strange. “I quickly realized that not all the specimens in the boxes were the same species,” said Hopkins, who is the chair of the Museum’s Division of Paleontology. “So I started reading some of the history of this species, and it turns out that I wasn't the first to notice this.” Hopkins found that as early as 1842 and as recently as 2002, researchers around the country had questioned whether there was more than one species being catalogued under a single species name. With the help of collaborator Markus Martin, Hopkins examined the existing literature as well as new and historical fossil collections at the Museum, and found two distinct species had both been identified as Flexicalymene senaria. Their resulting study, recently published in American Museum Novitates, gives a name to the new species: Flexicalymene trentonesis, inspired by Trenton Falls, NY, close to where the fossils were found. Congratulations to the American Museum of Natural History, Melanie Hopkins, and Markus Martin for this discovery!