FROM THE CHAIR

Valerie S. Peltier, Chair Honoring a Philanthropic Pioneer

In 1976, The New York Community Trust made the most transformational decision in its storied history. It hired Lorie Slutsky as an intern. Best decision ever.

Now on the eve of her retirement as president, let’s look at how momentous that hiring decision 46 years ago was for the organization and the people who live and work in New York.

A few metrics for those of us in the field who like data: As president for the last 32 years, Lorie transformed the work of The Trust. Under her guidance, The Trust made more than $5 billion in grants and raised more than $4 billion; The Trust’s endowment quadrupled from $830 million to more than $3.5 billion.

As usual, the numbers do not adequately tell the story.

Lorie’s appointment as president of The Trust was a pioneering moment in philanthropy. Some will remember that her selection raised a few eyebrows. With few women at the helm of large foundations and driven by her passion for New York, Lorie embraced the challenge and dedicated herself to transforming this community foundation into a critical safety net organization for New Yorkers. She created opportunities for others: mentoring, guiding, wading into difficult situations where others turned away. humanity made her a truly formidable force in philanthropy. She made an art of refusing to accept “business as usual,” propelling The Trust into new grant areas before anyone else. Lorie created and nurtured a team at The Trust who are well recognized as leaders in their respective fields. Equally important, however, was Lorie’s ability to bring together donors, funders, colleagues, and civic leaders to address serious issues in our community. When there is a problem in New York, donors and funders alike turn to The Trust. That is Lorie’s legacy.

I have had the gift of Lorie’s time and wisdom for many years. She has helped me transform my understanding about New York, philanthropy, and the world we aspire to live in as a community.

PASSING THE BATON: Lorie Slutsky with Herbert West, the second president of The Trust, in 1990.

Lorie’s unmatched intellect combined with her overflowing There are so many people who feel equally indebted to Lorie and want to express their gratitude. The best tribute we can offer Lorie is to follow her example and continue the work to make New York a better place for all New Yorkers.

After a career of spotlighting others, please join me as we focus the direct light on our spectacular leader, mentor, and friend.

On behalf of our board, staff, donors, nonprofit grantees, and all New Yorkers, thank you, Lorie. n