The Sons of Italy Foundation®

the SOnS Of Italy fOundatIOn®

Making A Difference & Seizing the Future

The Sons of Italy Foundation® (SIF) is the philanthropic arm of OSDIA. The SIF was founded in 1959 as a private, grant-making institution with the purpose of preserving Italian American culture, encouraging educational excellence among Italian Americans and improving lives in other areas. To date, the SIF has given $165 million to these efforts.

Special Projects

The SIF supports the establishment and restoration of U.S. monuments and memorials, including the National 9/11

Medical Research, Support and Social Services

Members work hard raising money to help OSDIA/ SIF national charities find cures for the most devastating diseases like Cooley’s anemia, which affects the lives of little Gabriella and her family.

Memorial. [Photo © Amy Dreher]

Scholarships, Educational Opportunities, and Support

The SIF and OSDIA lodges give hundreds of thousands of scholarships each year to bright Italian-American students. The 2021 SIF National Leadership Grant recipients are an outstanding group!

Recognizing Extraordinary Achievement and Supporting the Mission

The SIF’s NELA Gala annually attracts leaders in government, business, and philanthropy, as well as corporate sponsors. While the 2021 NELA Gala had to take place vitually, it turned out to be a very successful event that raised money for future causes and awarded some 15 students with scholarships.

the SOnS Of Italy fOundatIOn®

Making A Difference & Seizing the Future

Honoring and Assisting Those Who Protect and Serve

The SIF helped fund the creation of the National World War II Memorial and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. In recent years, the SIF has given more than $100,000 to various groups that support wounded service members like USArmy Col Philip Lee Swinford (ret.), who is an Incomplete Quadriplegic suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) due to IEDs on multiple deployments and was presented with a customized van made possible in part by an SIF contribution to Help Our Military Heroes.

SIF Sustaining Patrons Circle Honor Roll As of September 30, 2021 Dr. Mark S. DeNunzio

Joseph J. DiTrapani Vera Ferrara Girolami

Mary Kovach Michele Ment

Arlene M. Nunziati

Maria Fassio Pignati Paul S. Polo

Disaster Relief

The SIF donates generously to disaster relief in the U.S. and abroad. With the help of State Grand Lodges, Local Filial Lodges, and individual donors, the SIF raised $200,000 to aid relief efforts for the Central Italy earthquake that struck in August 2016. The SIF donated those funds to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, who rebuilt a kindergarten and elementary school in Muccia, a town located in the Marche region.

In summer 2019, OSDIA COO Joseph DiTrapani attended and spoke at the inaguration of “E. De Amicis” pre-school and elementary school. “The Sons and Daughters of Italy in America have their roots, here, in Italy,” he said. “Yes, we live in America. But our hearts are here in Italy.”

the SOnS Of Italy fOundatIOn®

History of Philanthropy

1959 Sons of Italy Foundation® (SIF) established as the philanthropic arm of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America®, the nation’s oldest and largest organization for people of Italian heritage. 1964 Donates $25,000 for flood victims in Belluno, Italy 1966 Donates $200,000 for flood victims in Florence and Venice 1967 Designates March of Dimes as one of its official charities and donates more than $14 million over the next two decades 1968 Raises more than $127,000 for earthquake victims in Sicily 1974 Names Cooley’s Anemia Foundation as an official charity; donations to date equal more than $3 million. 1976 Raises $217,000 for earthquake victims in Friuli, Italy 1981 Donates $3 million in funds and sends medicine and clothing to 97 southern Italian towns devastated by 1980 earthquake 1985 Contributes to restoration of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty 1987 Donates $30,000 to earthquake victims in Mexico 1989 Holds first National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala in Washington, D.C. 1990 Contributes $50,000 to establish the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. 1993 Names the Alzheimer’s Association one of its official charities and donates $1 million over the next 10 years 1998 Donates $50,000 to Barbara Sinatra Hospital for Abused Children 2003 Contributes $66,000 to help establish an Advanced Placement program in Italian 2004 Donates $100,000 to help build the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. 2005 Donates $15,000 to the Tsunami emergency relief effort in Indonesia 2006 Donates $35,000 for Hurricane Katrina Relief 2007 Pledges $100,000 to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. Donates $100,000 to Coaches vs. Cancer 2008 Donates $100,000 between 2004-2008 to the Rienzi Foundation to cure deafness through cochlear implants 2009 Collects an estimated $300,000 in relief funds to aid victims of Abruzzo earthquake 2010 Fulfills its pledge, giving $100,000 to build the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Gives a special $10,000 scholarship to Medal of Honor recipient SSgt. Salvatore Giunta. Raises additional $50,000 to re-instate the Advanced Placement Program in Italian Language and Culture 2011 Donates $235,000 to help rebuild the Fondazione Il Cireneo Onlus per L’Autismo, a center for children with autism, destroyed by the 2009 earthquake that struck L’Aquila. Makes first gift of $24,600 to newly-selected official charity, the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. Pledges a second $1 million contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association 2012 Answers the call of natural disaster victims in Italy and the United States, launching fund-raising campaigns for Emilia-Romagna earthquake relief and Hurricane Sandy relief 2013 Donates $25,000 to Super Storm Sandy relief. Makes a $15,000 gift to The Gary Sinise Foundation. 2014 Donates $20,000 to Help Our Military Heroes 2015 SIF/ OSIA gives more than $300,000 to Alzheimer’s Association; Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc.; and Cooley’s Anemia Foundation 2016 Donates $150,000 to relief efforts for the Central Italy earthquake in the Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo, and Marche regions; $20,000 to Help Our Military Heroes; $10,000 to the Gary Sinise Foundation; $10,000 to K9 Partners for Patriots, Inc. 2017 Donates $20,000 to Help Our Military Heroes 2018 Donates $100,000 in Central Italy earthquake relief to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation; $25,000 to Help Our Military Heroes 2019 Donates second $100,000 in Central Italy earthquake relief to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation; Donates $20,000 to Help Our Military Heroes 2020 Donates $20,000 to Help Our Military Heroes; $15,000 to The V Foundation for Cancer Research ($15,000), $10,000 to the Ronald McDonald House New York; $5,000 to a statue of Constantino Brumidi installed in Annapolis, Maryland 2021 Donates $20,000 to Help Our Military Heroes

the SOnS Of Italy fOundatIOn®

Snapshot of Philanthropic Giving

The list below represents the broad scope of charities, causes, and programs to which the Sons of Italy Foundation has given its support. It is not all-inclusive.

MEDICAL RESEARCH, SUPPORT & SOCIAL SERVICES

Alzheimer’s Association American Fund for Dental Health American Italian Cancer Foundation The American Foundation for St. George Hospital, Inc. Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders Arthritis Foundation Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center Boys Town of Italy CES Foundation Children’s Inn at NIH Coaches vs. Cancer Cooley’s Anemia Foundation Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America The Daniel Pitino Children’s Health Foundation The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism The Fondazione Il Cireneo Onlus per l’Autismo Fox Chase Cancer Center The Italian Hospital Society Lombardi Cancer Center Lupis Foundation & Elizabeth Fund March of Dimes Michael Bolton Charities for Battered Women Multiple Sclerosis The Ronald McDonald House New York Smile Train Special Olympics St. Jude Research Hospital for Children The V Foundation

CULTURAL PRESERVATION & THE ARTS

American Italian Historical Association Center for Migration Studies Columbus Citizens Foundation Commission for Social Justice Concordia Language Villages Italian Program Council for the Promotion of Italian Language FIERI National Garibaldi-Meucci Museum In Italiano language program Istituto Italiano di Cultura Italian Americana Italian American Cultural Center Italian American Welfare League Italian Cultural Society Italian Musicale John D. Calandra Italian-American Institute U.S. State Department/American Embassy in Rome

EDUCATION

AIFS & Academic Year in America exchange programs American University of Rome Bard College College Board Advanced Placement Program in Italian Dante School for Children Italian Studies Chair at California State University John Cabot University OSDIA National Student Summit Pepperdine University The SIF National Leadership Grant Competition

DISASTER RELIEF

9/11 disaster relief American Red Cross (Hurricane Andrew relief) Andrea Bocelli Foundation Assisi earthquake relief Cassino Memorial Orphanage Rebuilding Catholic Relief Services Central Italy earthquake relief Ethiopian famine relief Florentine flood relief Haiti Earthquake Relief Katrina Relief Fund Mexican earthquake relief Naples earthquake relief Oklahoma City bombing relief Tsunami relief (Indonesia) L’Aquila earthquake relief Emilia-Romagna earthquake relief

OTHER SPECIAL PROJECTS

Arab American Institute Foundation The Business Council for International Understanding Christopher Columbus Catholic Center Don Orione Home & Madonna Queen National Shrine Ellis Island Foundation The Gary Sinise Foundation Help Our Military Heroes Immigration History Research Center Luke’s Wings National Football League Players Association National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial National Policy Association The National September 11 Memorial & Museum National World War II Memorial The PenFed Foundation The Statue of Liberty Restoration Project TF Peace Foundation The William J. Clinton Foundation The Wounded Warrior Project