If we could
write a book...

This is the story of how the foundation began, what it has accomplished, and how it has exerted influence well above its size and beyond its Long Island base. The purpose of this history is not only to record those accomplishments, but to offer lessons learned to anyone who reads it—especially leaders of other foundations.

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Introduction

The Hagedorn Foundation: a small philanthropy with a big heart.

Horace and Miracle-Gro

The story of the millions behind the Hagedorn Foundation.

Horace and Amy

How the two founders met...

The Horace and Amy Hagedorn Fund

Discovering how to use their fortune for something good to give back to the community.

The Birth of the Foundation

The decision to go off and start a foundation in dedication to the Hagedorn name...

The Hagedorn Foundation: Getting Started

Launching a foundation can be complicated. But some aspects of this launch were easy.

Families, Children, and Youth

Amy knew from the start that she wanted the foundation to focus heavily on early childhood education.

Home Visitation to Help Parents

They walk in as an equal...They sit on the floor with the child, to show the parent, but not tell the parent, ‘This is what you do.’ They do not replace the parent.” - Lynda Parmely, Program Director

Training Parents As Advocates

Parents have always been at the heart of the Hagedorn Foundation's mission.

Paid Family Leave

Another initiative that became a constant concern of the foundation was the struggle to get New York State to adopt legislation creating paid family leave.

Amplifying the Voice of Nonprofit Youth Agencies

The foundation’s work on families, children, and youth has not always involved actual grant-making.

Immigration Reform

It was her family’s history that gave Amy a natural inclination toward making immigration one of the foundation’s signature issues.

A Voice for Immigrants

One of the obvious needs of the immigrant community was messaging.

Mexico Delegations

Working to change public opinion about immigrants and immigration on Long Island.

Defending Immigrants’ Rights

Another crucial piece of the immigration grant-making strategy was developing leadership...

Anti-Bullying: The Fight Against Hate

In the story of the foundation’s commitment to doing philanthropy differently, Joselo Lucero is a shining example.

Civic Engagement

The foundation strongly believes that the work of its grantees has “moved the needle” of social change.

Enhancing the Capacity of Grantees

Many of the foundation’s grantees are relatively small organizations, passionately dedicated to the work.

Closing the Doors

From its earliest days, when Amy decided to make it a spend-down foundation...

Foundation and Fund

For nearly a decade before the Hagedorn Foundation was born, the Horace and Amy Hagedorn Fund was the vehicle for their philanthropy.

If we could write a book...