Aaron Diamond Foundation

Aaron Diamond Foundation

"In 1955, Mr. and Mrs. Diamond established the Aaron Diamond Foundation to support medical research programs and other causes. Unlike other foundation endowments, they decided before Aaron’s death in 1984 to pay out their endowment over a ten-year span.  With Mrs. Diamond agreeing to his wishes, she proceeded to oversee the distribution of over $200 million in grants over a decade.  With more then $50 million earmarked for AIDS research which includes support for the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, there were many crucial discoveries made involving the immune system’s effort to combat the virus (Saxon 2003).

"She continued her giving by establishing the Irene Diamond Fund and donated money to a variety of causes including The Juilliard School, Young Concert Artists, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and Human Rights Watch."

"The Aaron Diamond Foundation has committed almost $2 million to start small schools over the last two years and $30 million for overall school improvement in the last eight years, said Vincent McGee. executive director. "New Yorkers are daunted by the sheer dimensions of needs in the city," he said. "Actually, some of the most exciting models for school reform are right here."

"The Ford Foundation, the country's wealthiest philanthropy, promoted and helped finance New York's decentralization of schools in the late 1960's, but has shifted its emphasis to supporting education nationally and abroad for the last two decades." Interview

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Robert L. Bernstein
 * Vincent McGee
 * Irene Diamond Fund
 * Atlantic Philanthropies
 * Erlin Ibreck