Winnick Family Foundation

Since forming The Winnick Family Foundation in 1983 with his wife Karen, Gary Winnick has generously supported many causes that are close to his heart. Gary Winnick’s philanthropic interests run the gamut from promoting children’s literacy, to furthering religious diversity, to developing new scientific research protocols, and many more.

One such program Gary Winnick has helped to support by a grant from the Winnick Family Foundation is the Jewish Federation’s Holy Land Democracy Project. The goal of this educational initiative is to prepare Catholic teachers in the Los Angeles parochial high school system to teach a unit about modern Israel. The program is now in its fifth year, and by all standards, has been a phenomenal success for both communities. It has reached more than 7,000 Catholic students.

“Gary Winnick’s commitment to the Holy Land Democracy Project will help the Jewish Federation to grow the relationship we have been building between the Jewish and Catholic communities,” said Federation President John Fishel. “It will also enable us to greatly expand the educational opportunities available to the Catholic school teachers we work with, and in turn, their students. This is in perfect keeping with Gary Winnick’s longstanding support of education in Los Angeles.”

Another project that is very personal to Gary Winnick is the new Arnold S. Winnick Student Center at Long Island University’s C.W. Post Campus. A graduate of the University, Gary Winnick has provided his alma mater with donations totaling $11 million. The new Winnick Student Center is a spacious, modern cafeteria facility with dining and meeting rooms that are used by thousands of students, faculty members and staff. Winnick House, a historic 97-year-old mansion that was the former home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and financial genius E.F. Hutton, was painstakingly restored to its original, pristine condition – while making it handicapped accessible and eco-friendly. Gary Winnick also initiated the Winnick Family Foundation Scholarship Endowment, which to date has awarded grants to approximately 80 students.

“C.W. Post has benefitted immeasurably from Gary Winnick’s generosity, both in terms of improvements to facilities and scholarships for deserving students,” said Long Island University President David J. Steinberg.

Adds Ashley Ciccotelli, who received a scholarship from the Winnick Family Foundation Scholarship Endowment,

“The closer I get to graduation and the closer I get to becoming a teacher gives me feelings of excitement of what is to come next. But knowing that I’ll have some leeway from this scholarship lets me relax and enjoy the feeling of being a college graduate!”

As Chairman of The Winnick Family Foundation, Gary Winnick also funds such initiatives as The Winnick Family Clinical Research Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Los Angeles Winnick Children’s Zoo, Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, Birthright Israel, Koreh L.A., Skirball Cultural Center Winnick Hall, The Winnick International Conference Center at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, L.A. Police Foundation Community College Scholarship Program and many more.

Police Chief William J. Bratton’s thoughts about Gary Winnick’s support of the Los Angeles Police Foundation sums it up: “Gary’s leadership is deeply appreciated. It is gratifying when someone achieves success in business and translates that into doing important good in the community.”