The Overbrook Foundation is a philanthropic organization, founded in 1949. Since its creation, it has donated more than $188 million to education and progressive causes.

History

Frank and Helen

Altschul Altschul or Altshul is a Jewish surname of Ashkenazi origin. It is derived from the Altschul, Old Synagogue (Prague), Old Synagogue in Prague.Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906Altschul, Altschuler, Altschueler, or Alschuler/ref> Altschul is the surname of: ...

created Overbrook to fund education causes including his alma mater,

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

. Altschul was an early supporter of

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

. After Altschul's death in 1981, the foundation hired professional management under the stewardship of family members.

Major grants and initiatives

The foundation provides grants averaging $40,000 to causes including human rights and environmental causes primarily in the western hemisphere. The foundation supports, for example, In Our Backyard, a crowdfunder of New York City environmental projects.

Position on political contributions

In 2015, Overbrook joined with like-minded foundations including the

Rockefeller Brothers Fund The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) is a philanthropic foundation created and run by members of the Rockefeller family. It was founded in New York City in 1940 as the primary philanthropic vehicle for the five third-generation Rockefeller brothe ...

, the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the dea ...

, the

Carnegie Corporation of New York The Carnegie Corporation of New York is a philanthropic fund established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to support education programs across the United States, and later the world. Carnegie Corporation has endowed or otherwise helped to establis ...

, and the

Turner Foundation Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he ...

to decry corporate contributions to political causes in the wake of the ''

Citizens United v. FEC ''Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission'', 558 U.S. 310 (2010), was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States regarding campaign finance laws and free speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It wa ...

'' case.

References

{{Reflist, 30em Non-profit organizations based in New York City Foundations based in the United States Organizations established in 1949 1949 establishments in New York (state)