History
Formed in 1983, the Rex Foundation was established as a non profit charitable organization by members of the
Grateful Dead and friends. The foundation enabled
the Dead to go beyond responding to multiple requests for contributions and proactively provide extensive community support to creative endeavors in the arts, sciences and education. The Rex Foundation is named after Rex Jackson, a Grateful Dead roadie and later road manager until his untimely death in 1976.
Mission
The Rex Foundation aims to help secure a healthy environment, promote individuality in the arts, provide support to critical and necessary social services, assist others less fortunate than ourselves, protect the rights of indigenous people and ensure their culural survival, build a stronger community, and educate children and adults everywhere.
Current Board of Directors
Bill Walton
Bob Weir
John Scher
Cliff Palefsky
Roger McNamee
Jon McIntire
John Leopold
Michael Klein
Mickey Hart
Carolyn Garcia
Diane Blagman
Bernie Bildman
John Perry Barlow
Past Members of the Board
Jerry Garcia 1984 -d.1995
Bill Graham 1984 -d.1991
A smattering of organizations and a brief description, where applicable, that have benefitted from grants from the Rex Foundation over the years.
The Achievement Academy at Simon's Recreation Center
Located in
Philadelphia, staffed by volunteers, provides mentors to disadvantaged young people.
The American Indian College Fund
Formed in 1989 by the presidents of Indian colleges to raise private sector funds for scholarships and developmental assistance.
American Music Theater Festival
Located in Philadelphia, provides innovation in contemporary music theater by giving middle scholl students the opportunity to tell thewir own stories in their own words through the medium of music theater.
Bethesda Project (My Brother's House)
An emergency community center for chronically homeless men, also located in Philadelphia.
Camp Winnarainbow
Circus and performing arts camp located north of
San Francisco. The camps goal is not to turn out circus performers but to provide distressed children a method for becoming complete indivduals.
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
A national organization working to reform sentencing laws.
The Family Assistance Program
Helps homeless families through a carefully planned, long term support system.
The Farm School
A group of teachers, farmers, performers and business people who came togethor to help childrenin the fifth through ninth grade learn their responsibilities as caretakers of the earth.
Food and Friends
Only organization in Washington D.C. meeting the nutritional needs of individuals and families sticken with HIV/AIDS.
Hanford Education Action League
HEAL is monitoring the clean up of the Hanford nuclear site on the Columbia River in the state of Washington.
The Lithuanian Basketball Team
Mainstream Foundation
A non profit, public charity dedicated to helping homeless teenagers on a long term basis.
Musicians United for a Superior Education
MUSE was founded to put the muses, the inspiration to create, inside each and every child.
National Handicapped Sports
NHS provides recreation and sports programs directly to children and adults with physical disabilities.
Peer AIDS Education Coalition
HIV prevention outreach program that recruits and trains marginalized youth in New York City.
The Poetry Project at St Marks
Serves as a venue for public literary events and as a resource for writers, located in St. Marks church in Manhattan's East Village.
Sunburst Projects
Music from people with HIV/AIDS.
Personal Commentary
Since 1984, the Rex Foundation has given over 7.2 million dollars in grants to these and hundreds of other recipients. Not too bad for an bunch of aging hippy types if you ask me.