Foundation News

This week, members of the Gerstner Philanthropies team had the exciting opportunity to take a first look at the new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History. The Gilder Center, which opens February 17, 2023, will feature new exhibition galleries, state-of-the-art classrooms, an immersive theater, and a redesigned library, increasing public access to more of the Museum’s scientific collections and will link 10 Museum buildings to improve visitor flow throughout the campus. Our Chairman, Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., and Executive Director Kara Klein met with Museum President Ellen Futter to receive an update on the expansion’s progress and to tour the site, getting a firsthand look at the extensive work that has been done. The new center will house the Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Collections Core. A collection of nearly 4 million specimens ranging from insects to fossils as well as a floor to ceiling exhibition of these samples. In addition to showcasing these new collections, the Gerstner Collections Core aims to help visitors understand how scientists can use these artifacts to learn something more about the universe, life on Earth, or even ourselves. Read more about the collections core at amnh.org

GerstnerPhilanthropies announced today that it has awarded $4.9 million in Helping Hands funds to our grantee organizations. The Gerstner Helping Hands program provides financial resources to assist individuals facing a one-time, urgent need. These emergency cash grants are distributed by our partners, who combine Helping Hands funds with holistic wrap-around services to help clients avoid homelessness and instability. Helping Hands reaches over 4,000 families each year, providing assistance with rent, utilities, medical expenses, and food.

2021 was a landmark year for Gerstner Philanthropies. Grants totaled over $48 million, almost doubling the previous year and the most in its history. Gerstner Philanthropies launched two new program areas within Helping Hands and created a new grant program to support climate change mitigation. Grantees continue to respond to the impacts of COVID-19, and we are proud of the impacts they made. For more on our engagement and impact in 2021, please see the full Year in Numbers Report.

2020 was a landmark year for Gerstner Philanthropies. Grants totaled over $27 million, the most in its history. 74 organizations were supported across our program areas, including 19 new grantees. We responded to COVID-19 by providing grantees with additional resources, flexibility, and other support, and we are proud of the impact that they achieved despite challenging circumstances. For more on our engagement and impact in 2020, please see the full Year in Numbers report.

Our Helping Hands grantee social services organizations are on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. We communicate with our Helping Hands grantee organizations informally throughout the year, and each quarter we ask them to report formally on program statistics, trends, and case studies. The effects of the pandemic only began to show at the very end of the quarter, but we have already identified some interesting trends, such as an increase in need for food and a decrease in the demand for rental assistance.