Russell Berrie Foundation

The Russell Berrie Foundation was created in 1985 by the late multimillionaire Russell Berrie, who made his fortune in the stuffed animal and toy business. The goal of the Russell Berrie Foundation is to “promote the continuity and enrichment of Jewish communal life,” foster “the spirit of religious understanding and pluralism,” and to raise “the awareness of terrorism.” According to its website, the foundation is “guided by the major themes set forth…with New Jersey, Metropolitan New York and Israel as the primary geographic focus of grant making.”

The Russell Berrie Foundation funds a large number of mainstream Jewish and Israeli charities that are not Islamophobic.

Along with important philanthropic work the foundation funds, the Russell Berrie Foundation has contributed $3,802,351 between 2001 and 2012 to organizations featured in the Islamophobia network, such as: The Counterterrorism & Security Education and Research Fund ($2,736,000), the Investigative Project on Terrorism ($793,335), and the Middle East Forum ($273,016).

 

Source: Center for American Progress research is based on 990s filed with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.