Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation Pledges $12 Million to DC Organizations Championing the Arts, Racial Equality, and a Brighter Future
Gifts Celebrate Norman Bernstein’s 100th Year as a Washingtonian
WASHINGTON, DC (October 5, 2020) – The Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation (DNBF), a charitable organization serving the Washington, DC community for almost 60 years, will celebrate founder Norman Bernstein’s 100th birthday by contributing $12 million to local organizations and initiatives championing the arts, justice, and equal opportunity for all.
“Continued acts of violence against Black and Brown people and the disproportionate impacts from COVID-19 on people of color provide intolerable evidence of the inequity that limits the potential of this country,” said Joshua Bernstein, President of the Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation and CEO of Bernstein Management Corporation. “We are proud to honor my father’s legacy by pledging our support to organizations working to combat intolerance and structural racism and build a brighter, more inclusive, future.”
The Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation is guided by the Jewish principle of Tikkun Olam (the responsibility to repair what is broken in the world), working towards dignity for all people and combating racism, anti-Semitism, and intolerance of any kind. $3.8 million of this celebratory gift will be allocated to organizations dedicated to revitalizing the quality of life for individuals experiencing homelessness, creating more affordable housing in Washington, and ending the cycle of poverty by addressing its root causes. An additional $3.5 million will go to organizations that support and celebrate vibrant Jewish life in Washington, DC and $3.6 million will go to organizations building diverse communities that cut across cultural, economic, and racial divides.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a crushing impact on the region. DNBF acted quickly to help meet growing needs, allocating an additional $1.1 million to organizations that are mobilizing dollars into the community, working to help people and organizations directly impacted by the pandemic.
“My father has always been grateful for the opportunities he has been able to pursue and for the success he has achieved here in Washington, DC,” said Joshua Bernstein. “It is only fitting that we celebrate his 100th year by responding to the current moment and giving back to the community that supported him.”
A list of the organizations receiving Norman Bernstein centennial gifts is included below:
Adas Israel
Anacostia Park Friends Group
Arena Stage
Arts Forward Fund
BMC Cares Fund
Bread for the City
Bright Beginnings
Capital Camps
Community of Hope
Diverse City Fund
Dreaming out Loud
Early Childhood Innovation Network
Edlavitch
Jewish Community Center of Washington, DC
Greater Washington Community Foundation COVID Response Fund
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
Jewish Federation of Greater Washington COVID Response Fund
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Marine Biological Laboratory
Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care
Medstar Georgetown Center for Wellbeing in School Environments (WISE)
National Redistricting Foundation
Power of 10 Initiative
Sitar Arts Center
Sixth & I
Thrive East of the River
Urban Alliance
Washington Housing Conservancy
Way to Rise
About the Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation
Founded by Norman Bernstein in 1961, the Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation envisions an economically and socially just society that values every human life, protects the environment, and celebrates the arts. The Foundation proudly supports organizations and initiatives that improve outcomes and strive for justice, dignity, and equal opportunity in the Washington, DC area.