Jonathan Gray has had a good 2018: in February, the former head of Blackstone’s $119 billion (assets) real estate division was promoted to chief operating officer and president, 26 years after he started at the private equity giant. But his accomplishments are not only in business; Gray is also making his mark in philanthropy. He debuts at No. 49 on Forbes’ America’s Top 50 Givers list, having doled out $23 million in charitable donations in 2017. In total, he has given over $120 million in his lifetime, primarily to cancer research and health and education in New York City.
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
DiNapoli & NYC Make it Easier to Save for College
Jon Gray, co-founder with Mindy Gray of the Gray Foundation, said: “Mindy and I are proud to have worked alongside Comptroller DiNapoli, Mayor de Blasio, and other officials to make our state’s 529 college savings plan more accessible and inclusive for all New Yorkers. We founded NYC Kids RISE on the belief that all children should have the opportunity to reach their highest potential. Opening up these college savings vehicles to more families will go a long way in helping NYC Kids RISE achieve its important mission.”
New $21 Million Gift Puts Basser Center for BRCA at the Forefront of Advancements for Patients At Risk of Inherited Cancers
Gift from Mindy and Jon Gray will further the development of cutting-edge lab science, clinical trials and educational outreach for patients with and at-risk for breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and other cancers.
PRESS ARCHIVES
Seamless partners with NYC Kids RISE to “Donate the Change” for college scholarship accounts
For the whole month of February, every order on Seamless includes an option to “Donate the Change” to NYC Kids RISE! NYC Kids RISE will be depositing the donated money into the NYC Scholarship Accounts of all current students in the Save for College Program.
Yale Cancer Center receives $1 million grant from Gray Foundation for breast cancer research
Yale Cancer Center (YCC) is proud to announce the Basser BRCA Initiative grant. The $1 million, three-year gift was awarded to YCC by the Gray Foundation to advance the next generation of cancer therapies. Leveraging research currently being done at Yale to define the fundamental biology and molecular roles of the BRCA cancer susceptibility genes, this gift from the Gray Foundation will enable the development of transformative new therapeutic approaches for patients with BRCA-driven malignancies, which can increase the lifetime risk for cancers including breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate and melanoma.
American Talent Initiative Shows Increased College Access for Lower-Income Students
A nationwide alliance of leading colleges and universities has made significant progress in improving opportunity for low- and moderate-income students, according to a new report.
City program announced in LIC lets public school parents help save for college education
The NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program has announced that savings of up to $100 will be matched for participating first-grade families. Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza joined students, parents, faculty and elected officials last week for the first Building Block Party to celebrate the savings match. The gathering at P.S. 76 in Long Island City included coloring for the kids and an opportunity for everyone to share savings tips.
Susan Domcheck, executive director of the Basser Center for BRCA, elected to the National Academy of Medicine
Four faculty members from the Perelman School of Medicine have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), one of the nation’s highest honors in biomedicine. Susan M. Domchek is the Basser Professor in Oncology, executive director of the Basser Center for BRCA at the Abramson Cancer Center, director of the MacDonald Women’s Cancer Risk Evaluation Center, and a senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. She is a nationally recognized breast and ovarian cancer expert.
Blackstone COO Jonathan Gray On Giving To Education, Cancer Research
Jonathan Gray has had a good 2018: in February, the former head of Blackstone’s $119 billion (assets) real estate division was promoted to chief operating officer and president, 26 years after he started at the private equity giant. But his accomplishments are not only in business; Gray is also making his mark in philanthropy. He debuts at No. 49 on Forbes’ America’s Top 50 Givers list, having doled out $23 million in charitable donations in 2017. In total, he has given over $120 million in his lifetime, primarily to cancer research and health and education in New York City.
NYC Kids RISE Celebrates a Successful First Year
A kindergarten class at P.S. 111 in Long Island City is still working on the alphabet, but the city already is making sure each of the 4- and 5-year-olds can have a college savings account.
Meet Potamkin Prize Awardee, Susan Domchek, M.D.
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Susan Domchek, Director of the Basser Center for BRCA at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, is the PA Breast Cancer Coalition’s 2018 Potamkin Prize Awardee. Please enjoy this video featuring Dr. Domcheck and the amazing work she has done to advance the care of individuals with BRCA gene mutations.
PBS Announces KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY, New Collaboration with Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D. Three-Hour Documentary to Premiere Spring 2020 on PBS
PBS announced KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY, a new three-hour documentary executive produced by Ken Burns, will premiere over three nights in Spring 2020 on PBS. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., and acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns will collaborate on the new documentary inspired by Mukherjee’s best-selling 2016 book, The Gene: An Intimate History.
Gray Foundation seeds research on non-surgical breast cancer risk reduction
Jon Gray, president and chief operating officer of Blackstone, one of the world’s leading investment firms, and his wife, Mindy, recently awarded $1.5 million to fund an important collaboration between Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School aimed at developing non-surgical alternatives for reducing breast cancer risk in women who carry BRCA1 mutations.
Thousands of NYC teens explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art at interactive event
Twice each year, the Gray Foundation partners with the Metropolitan Museum of Art to produce Teens Take The Met! – an innovative, teen-centric evening dedicated to art and culture. More than 40 New York City youth and cultural organizations come together to provide interactive programming including workshops, performances, art making, demonstrations, photography, and more for thousands of teens from across the city’s five boroughs. The event is made possible through the Gray Foundation, who serve as the singular sponsor for this year’s event, held Friday, June 1st from 5-8pm. The event is free for all teens with a valid middle or high school ID.
Finance Chiefs Kravis, Ackman and Gray Have Advice for New Philanthropists
On two big issues, Jon Gray, president and chief operating officer of Blackstone Group LP, has identified unmet needs and set out to fill them, not by funding existing organizations but by starting programs with carefully chosen leaders and partners.
Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez Boost Program that Teaches Inner City Kids about Real Estate
The program has major sponsors and partners, including Viacom, MasterCard, the James and Judith Diamond Foundation, and the Gray Foundation. Blackstone’s former head of global real estate, who was recently named president and chief operating officer, Jonathan Gray, was on the panel questioning the kids.
March 2018: NYC Kids RISE Unveils New Online Portal for Child Savings Account Program to Help Public School Students Save for College
Through the support of the Gray Foundation, each NYC Scholarship Account has been funded with an initial $100, and the new “Savings Tracker” online portal allows families to earn an additional $75 towards their children’s accounts this year.
The V Foundation Announces $7.5 Million Awarded For BRCA Mutation Research
The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a top-rated cancer research charity, is pleased to announce the recipients of the BRCA Research Collaborative Grants, through its partnership with the BRCA Foundation and the Gray Foundation.
A 99-year-old Philadelphia Eagles fan puts it all in perspective
It’s where the University of Pennsylvania’s Basser Center for BRCA-related cancers is located. His daughter, Faith, died of BRCA-related ovarian cancer at 44. The center was founded thanks to a $55 million gift from another of Basser’s daughters, Mindy, and her husband Jon Gray.
Start Early: Who’s Supporting Children’s Savings Accounts?
Then there’s Jonathan Gray’s $10 million commitment to boost NYC Kids Rise, a public-private partnership involving Mayor de Blasio and college savings accounts for thousands of New York children.
Jon and Mindy Gray Throw Bash to Focus on Genes’ Role in Cancer
Jon Gray stood by his wife Mindy Tuesday night as they welcomed about a thousand guests to Cipriani Wall Street. The occasion was a fundraiser for the Basser Center for BRCA, which they founded after Mindy’s sister Faith, who carried a BRCA gene mutation, died of ovarian cancer.
Ryan Seacrest and Hoda Kotb Show Support for The Basser Center For BRCA’s Biennial Jean Bash
“Tonight, we’re asking you to take the courage to look at your genes,” said Mindy Gray. “Check your history; uncover your risk and ask others to do the same.”
DiNapoli & NYC Make it Easier to Save for College
Jon Gray, co-founder with Mindy Gray of the Gray Foundation, said: “Mindy and I are proud to have worked alongside Comptroller DiNapoli, Mayor de Blasio, and other officials to make our state’s 529 college savings plan more accessible and inclusive for all New Yorkers. We founded NYC Kids RISE on the belief that all children should have the opportunity to reach their highest potential. Opening up these college savings vehicles to more families will go a long way in helping NYC Kids RISE achieve its important mission.”
Inspirational Woman Interview: Mindy Gray
Mindy Gray is the Co-Founder of the Gray Foundation, a private foundation committed to maximizing access to education, healthcare and opportunity for low-income children in New York.
6 largest gifts from individuals to healthcare organizations in 2017
3. $21 million to University of Pennsylvania, Basser Research Center for BRCA (Philadelphia) Donor: Jon and Mindy Gray. Mr. Gray oversees real estate at Blackstone, a global investment firm. Details: The donation will advance research, clinical trials and educational outreach for patients with hereditary cancers.
Basser Center for BRCA Receives $21 Million Pledge for Cancer Research
Penn Medicine has announced a $21 million gift to the Basser Center for BRCAfrom Jon Gray, global head of real estate at private equity and asset management firm Blackstone Group, and his wife, Mindy.
New $21 Million Gift Puts Basser Center for BRCA at the Forefront of Advancements for Patients At Risk of Inherited Cancers
Gift from Mindy and Jon Gray will further the development of cutting-edge lab science, clinical trials and educational outreach for patients with and at-risk for breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and other cancers.
Blackstone’s Gray Gives $21 Million to Hit Cancer Close to Home
Blackstone Group real estate chief Jon Gray and his wife, Mindy, are doubling down in their campaign against a type of cancer that claimed the life of her older sister. The Grays are donating $21 million to the Basser Center for BRCA at the University of Pennsylvania, bringing their total pledges to the initiative to $55 million.
NYC Kids RISE Launches In District 30
Kicking off the new year, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a free tuition program for low-income New York college students. However, the future is looking even brighter for the kindergarten children of School District 30, who were chosen to pilot the first New York City Child Savings Account Program.
City announces college savings accounts for students
More than 3,000 kindergartners in a school district containing much of northwestern Queens will have $100 allocated to them into scholarship accounts this fall to help them start saving for a college education.
City starts savings account pilot for D30 students Read more: Brooklyn Downtown Star – City starts savings account pilot for D30 students
City officials announced last Thursday that 3,500 students in western Queens will have their own savings accounts as part of a pilot program to promote a culture of saving for college.
Nolan Hails NYC Child Save Initiative
“Congratulations to District 30 for being chosen as the pilot program for the NYC Child Savings Account Initiative” said Assembly Member Catherine Nolan, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee.
Foundation jump-starts college savings for NYC kids
“I will go to college” is the culture at P.S. 171. It is reflected in artwork from Kindergartners. Thanks to a $10 million donation from the Gray Foundation, created by New York City residents Mindy and Jon Gray, these children are on their way to fulfilling their college dreams.
Rise & Shine: ‘I wanted to be the teacher that I wished I had’
The city is helping families in one Queens school district pay for college by starting savings accounts for kindergarteners, a pilot program that will include 10,000 students over three years.
From kindergarten to college: de Blasio announces new savings account for public school students
“All of NYC’s kids deserve the chance to attend college and pursue their dreams, regardless of their family’s economic status,” the mayor said.
Many Sunnyside/Woodside children to get $100 as part of new college savings program, de Blasio announces
A new non-profit has launched a program to help students save for college, beginning with children in School District 30 that includes large sections of Astoria, Sunnyside, Woodside, Jackson Heights and Long Island City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
Western Queens kindergartners will receive money toward college tuition from the city
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday a new initiative that will give students in School District 30 hundreds of dollars to put toward a college savings account.
City to Open Savings Accounts for 3,500 Queens Kids Via Pilot Program
The city will open savings accounts for thousands of students in Queens this fall as part of a three-year pilot program that aims to get more kids and families focused on planning financially for college.
Pilot program unveiled to help NYC children pay for college
One of the biggest issues facing young people and a hot topic on the 2016 campaign trail: Who can actually afford a college education? Mayor de Blasio announced the first phase of a new program to help.
De Blasio Rolls Out ‘Complementary’ College Program After Cuomo Free Tuition Announcement
Three days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled his vision for free college tuition, a group of de Blasio administration commissioners debuted a separate college savings pilot program program they say will dovetail with the governor’s agenda.
City Selects Queens District for College Savings Pilot
The program, which was first reported by the New York Times in November, will be funded by a $10 million grant from the Gray Foundation.
De Blasio announces plan to set up college accounts for students
Just days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled a splashy proposal to make state college tuition-free for low- and middle-income students, the de Blasio administration tried to steal back the spotlight with its own plan to offset higher education costs.
Some Queens Kindergarteners to Get Cash for College
Kindergarteners attending public schools in parts of Queens—including the Astoria, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside and Woodside neighborhoods—will soon benefit from a program designed to launch college aspirations.
The V Foundation Announces Multi-Million Dollar Challenge to Further the Study of BRCA Mutation Research
The V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the nation’s leading funders of cancer research, is pleased to announce a new partnership with the San Francisco-based BRCA Foundation and the Gray Foundation to fund research of cancers that derive from BRCA or BRCA-like mutations.
New York Seeks to Jump-Start College Savings by Giving Cash to Kindergartners’ Parents
Starting next fall, the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio will create college savings accounts for thousands of New York City kindergartners, in a three-year pilot program intended to increase the number of low-income children who go on to attend college.
Fourth Annual Basser Global Prize Awarded to Canadian Women’s Cancer Geneticist Steven Narod
Penn’s Basser Center for BRCA’s Annual Prize Recognizes Groundbreaking Contributions in Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research
How Christy Turlington, Jessica Seinfeld, Seth Rogen, and More Have Devoted Themselves to Solving a Single Issue
After losing her sister Faith Basser to the latter, Mindy and husband Jon established the Basser Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania, the first lab in the world devoted to BCRA-related cancers, and have contributed more than $30 million to date.
Wearing Jeans for Gene Research
When Mindy and Jon Gray were pulling together Tuesday’s fundraiser for the Basser Center for BRCA, Mr. Gray asked his wife that the attire be kept casual.
Blackstone’s Jon Gray, in Denim, Warms to the Social Limelight
Gray proved just how much he and his wife Mindy can be worth at a gala. The very first Basser benefit raised $8 million for fighting cancers linked to BRCA gene mutations.
Basser Center for BRCA Jean Bash
Taking a different approach to the usual benefit-hosting, the Basser Center for BRCA threw a casual and cool celebration at Cipriani Wall Street for their inaugural New York City benefit aptly named Basser Jean Bash – Unzip Your Genes.
Rag & Bone and The Basser Center For BRCA Host The Basser Jean Bash: Unzip Your Genes
If one were to judge the scene at Cipirani Wall Street solely by the guest list alone, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There were hedge fund directors, corporate lawyers, media personalities, and a sprinkling of fashion folk. But instead of the sea of suits and cocktail dresses indicative of such a venue, guests took a more casual approach.
‘Unzip Your Genes’ benefit raises awareness about cancers linked to BRCA gene
There was an important event Tuesday night in Manhattan to raise awareness for cancers linked to the BRCA gene. The event “Unzip Your Genes” benefited the Basser Research Center founded by Mindy and Jon Gray.
Why Is This Private Equity Billionaire Helping Build Charter Schools in Harlem?
Harlem Village Academies (HVA), a network of five charter schools in Harlem, New York, was founded in 2001 by Deborah Kenny, a former executive at Sesame Street Publishing and an educator with a master’s from Teacher’s College.