Who we are
Founded by David Aronow in 1947, the foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. It has contributed to educational, humanitarian, cultural, and scientific causes for over seven decades. Its third generation of leaders is committed to applying DA’s principles to the challenges facing us today.
After DA’s death in 1979, his daughter Shirley Aronow Samis stewarded the DAF for 35 years, continuing DA’s legacy of educational and humanitarian philanthropy and adding a cultural component to the portfolio. Since 2015 the 3rd and 4th generations have succeeded Shirley: the DAF now also funds activities focused on the biosphere.
In addition, we use our modest means to help organizations pilot programs that might not otherwise be possible for them: developing a new Spanish language component to the Rikers Debate Project; combining on-site discussions with film screenings and online audience participation in the Jewish Film Institute’s “Talk Amongst Yourselves” program; and enabling staff members from Village Health Works, a local holistic medical provider in Burundi, to participate in an Africa-wide medical informatics training.
Philosophy
Founding Principles established by David Aronow were to fund
benevolent, eleemosynary, humanitarian, philanthropic and scientific endeavors. As a disciplined strategist his goal was to maintain a corpus of assets whose earnings would fund these activities. His focus was on one’s local community rather than organizations which had a capacity to appeal nationally as well as on institutions which have a personal or special meaning that address critical needs yet are effective in pursuing their missions. Another tenet: never forget where you came from; remember and support those who brought you to your current place even when one’s own philosophy has evolved.
Participation
Both the DAF and its board members have committed to supporting the CCNY
Internship Endowment Fund over the next five years. We invite you to
join us.
Governance
In efforts to promote transparency and good governance, our annual financial filing is available online.
