News

We are proud to share "Intervening at the Edge: Lessons from Helping Hands", a new report by United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) highlighting the impact of our Helping Hands program from 2019–2024. Gerstner Philanthropies has partnered with UNH through the Helping Hands program to provide emergency cash assistance to low-income New Yorkers facing sudden crises. Administered through UNH’s settlement house network, Helping Hands grants have helped prevent evictions, restore stability after illness or job loss, and cover urgent needs such as rent, utilities, and essential household items. Since 2019, over $5.3 million has been distributed across nearly 3,700 grants and 84.7% of recipients remained stably housed one year after receiving assistance.

Zhi “Zack” Zheng, who is scheduled to receive his PhD from the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK) later this year, has received the 2025 Chairman’s Prize. The prestigious award, established by Louis V. Gerstner Jr., is presented each year to recognize an outstanding first-author publication penned by a GSK student. This year's prize was awarded to Zheng for his research on the function of a protein called SPO11, which creates double-strand breaks in DNA. When they occur, double-strand breaks can lead to genomic instability and cell death. The new system for studying SPO11 activity in the test tube opens the door to answering fundamental questions about the mechanism and control of recombination and will provide new insight into human reproductive health and disease. “This valuable hands-on experience inspired me to study the molecular basis underlying biological processes using biochemical and biophysical tools,” said Zheng. “GSK offered everything I was looking for in a graduate program- a flexible and comprehensive curriculum as well as the chance to work with a group of active and intelligent scientists working across different fields

Gerstner Philanthropies has awarded five new grants totaling $1.7 million to address urgent gaps in emergency food access across the New York Metropolitan area. With demand for food assistance rising—partners have reported a 17% increase in visitors over the past year—this funding will help frontline organizations continue to meet the need. Grants will support the critical work of: New York Common Pantry Part of the Solution (POTS) Person to Person Project Hospitality St. John’s Bread & Life Together, these organizations will deliver an estimated 19 million meals to those in need, as well as provide vital wraparound services like benefits enrollment to bolster self-sufficiency. This round of grants is part of Gerstner’s broader commitment to strengthen the emergency food system. To date, we’ve committed $4.8 million in grants across New York City, Boston, and Palm Beach County to expand emergency food access and invest in transformative capital projects in 2025. We’re proud to stand with our partners in the fight against hunger—and to help ensure no one is left behind at this critical moment. Read more about food insecurity rates in the U.S. in Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap 2025 report.

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has announced the 17th cohort of Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Scholars, honoring four outstanding early-career physician-scientists: Osama Al Dalahmah, MD, PhD; Dominique Bailey, MD, MSEd; Giuseppe Cullaro, MD; and Joel Gabre, MD. Established in 2008, the program supports clinician-investigators conducting innovative translational research to improve human health. 2022 scholar Jennifer Small-Saunders, MD, PhD, has been also received the 2025 Gerstner Merit Award, which provides an additional year of funding to scholars demonstrating exceptional research progress. Since its inception, the program has named 72 scholars and awarded 11 Merit Awards.

We’re pleased to share that the Gerstner Scholars Program in AI Translation at Mayo Clinic has officially launched its new website. The program supports early and mid-career investigators working to accelerate the development and clinical application of artificial intelligence in medicine. The site highlights the program’s unique structure, the inaugural cohort of 10 scholars, and the translational research they are pursuing across diverse areas of clinical care.By supporting promising talent at the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare, the Gerstner Scholars Program aims to help unlock AI’s full potential to improve patient outcomes. Visit the new website to learn more about the program’s goals, scholars, and vision for the future of AI in medicine.