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Corporation News
FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Office of Public Affairs
212-207-6273
CARNEGIE
CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PLEDGES ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORTS
New
York, NY—January 3, 2005. The board of trustees of Carnegie
Corporation of New York approved today the president and board chair’s
recommendation to respond to the unprecedented natural disaster
caused by the tsunami and to pledge one million dollars to relief
efforts.
“At
a time of such human tragedy and vast devastation caused by the
earthquake and subsequent tsunami, we have to face the fact, once
again, that philanthropy must transcend geographic, religious and
even programmatic boundaries,” said Vartan Gregorian, president
of Carnegie Corporation of New York. Gregorian and Helene L. Kaplan,
chair of the board of the Corporation, contacted the trustees following
the disaster and, as the scope of the destruction and need became
apparent, suggested the Corporation respond, as part of the global
community, to the relief efforts. “We believe it is important
that those who suffered enormously in South Asia know the solidarity
of the world community in the hour of their ordeal.”
“Never
before have we witnessed such a massive disaster and never before
has international philanthropy faced more of a challenge. We at
the Corporation are proud to offer our helping hand to the people
most affected,” said Mrs. Kaplan. “Our prescient founder,
Andrew Carnegie, understood the importance of flexibility, and outlined
in his charter to the board the responsibility of acknowledging
the special needs of our times and offered us the freedom to respond
to extraordinary events.”
Currently
the Corporation is exploring the most effective and efficient organization
or organizations to dispense the funds.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was created by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to
promote “the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.”
As a grantmaking foundation, the Corporation seeks to carry out
Carnegie’s vision of philanthropy, which he said should aim
“to do real and permanent good in the world.” The Corporation’s
capital fund, originally donated at a value of about $135 million,
had a market value of $1.8 billon on September 30, 2003. The Corporation
awards grants totaling approximately $80 million a year in the areas
of education, international peace and security, international development
and strengthening U.S. democracy.
CARNEGIE
CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SUPPORT FOR TSUNAMI RELIEF WILL FOCUS ON BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM NEEDS
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