Dear friends, family, existing grantees and future partners,

October 25^th, 2008

The fall season is in full swing in New York City.  As leaves shift color, and warmth turns into crisp cool wind, we are all reminded of the inevitability of change.  Alongside these annual reminders, the volatile economy, presidential election, and shifting financial sector have hit home just how temporary even the most permanent institutions and directions truly are.  Though nostalgia tempts us to hold on to the past, like the falling of the leaves, we must face it with boldness and hope.  At the Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation, we too are facing change, and we ask you to join us as we explore bold new directions, and exciting new challenges.

Over the past six months, the board and staff of the Elmezzi Foundation have spent countless hours deliberating about Thomas and Jeanne’s beliefs and values, our organization’s mission and vision, our financial capacity, regional focus, and programmatic interests.  Below is a window into some of these deliberations, as well as the specific policy changes that have been put into practice as of October 1^st, 2008.

Both childhood residents of Astoria, Queens, Tom and Jeanne grew up within a poor immigrant neighborhood, where opportunity was scarce, but hard-work and determination were popular values.  It was in this far-western Queens region that Tom and his business partner reformulated the ingredients for Pepsi-Cola, it was here Tom met his wife, Jeanne, his partner of more than 50 years, and it was here that Tom began his lifelong devotion to the Pepsi company, which allowed him to succeed at achieving the elusive American Dream. 

Throughout these many years of challenge and joy, Tom and Jeanne always remembered their modest beginnings, and came to care deeply for the disadvantaged poor who, like them, had little access to opportunity.  It was this care that led them to create this foundation, and it is out of reverence for their empathy and passion that we concentrate on the most disadvantaged of their childhood neighborhoods.  Almost a century later, Astoria and LIC still serve as a hub for new immigrants; our new strategies are designed to create opportunities for those immigrants, so that they too can achieve the American Dream.

Therefore, the following policies have gone into effect as of October 1^st, 2008.

1. The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation has established as policy a newfound concentration on funding organizations and initiatives that primarily serve the Long Island City and Astoria, Queens population, particularly the disadvantaged that live within zip codes 11101, 11102, or 11106.
2. The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation will spearhead a needs and assets assessment of Long Island City and Astoria, Queens for a period of 12-18 months, at which time our foundation will neither accept new applications for funding nor grant funding to organizations we are not currently partnered with
3. The Thomas and Jeanne Elmezzi Foundation, over the next three years, will begin re-directing financial resources to the Long Island City and Astoria, Queens Region.  This shift will result in a decreased regional footprint, but an increased local impact.

During these past few months we have also hired a new program officer, Christopher Cutter, who will serve both as liaison to our existing grantees and program director for the new LIC/Astoria initiative.  Chris has substantial experience managing, consulting and founding both international and domestic nonprofits and programs, and most recently worked as a grant writer for Little Tokyo Service Center in Los Angeles, CA.  He earned a Master’s Degree in Social & Economic Development from Washington University in Saint Louis, and grew up three hours from New York City, amidst the mountains of Berkshire County, MA.

These next few months will be exciting, as we expand our staff, discover organizational partners, and hit the streets to hear from the residents themselves. To our friends, family, existing grantees and future partners, we thank you for your continuing encouragement and appreciation as we go through this exciting time of growth and transition.

Sincerely,