Amy Freitag took the helm of The New York Community Trust in July 2022. Prior to her appointment, she led the J.M. Kaplan Fund, the Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation, and the New York Restoration Project. She also served as the deputy commissioner for capital projects with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
“The opportunity, energy, and dynamism of New York drew me in. At the start of my career, I had a goal of working in theater, and what better place to pursue it. I had transformative adventures at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Manhattan Theatre Club, and on Broadway.
But soon the city itself became my passion: the historic fabric, the buildings, people, and places that make New York a beacon. I witnessed the early days of Central Park’s restoration and relished the opportunity to jump in and get my hands dirty (literally and figuratively) building connections between New Yorkers with our city’s precious parks and community gardens.
Across my decades of experience, I marveled at philanthropy’s role as a powerful and nimble agent of change. Leading two New York-based foundations let me combine my love of the arts, the city, and justice to fuel innovation and lasting impact. That journey brings me to this incredible job leading the region’s oldest and largest community foundation into its 100th year.
Here, I wake up every morning eager to help this legendary institution—and our community— grow and thrive. I am reminded daily that as we look to the future, we are charged with honoring and preserving the legacy of the generations of donors who put their trust in community philanthropy.
The Trust has thousands of donors who made gifts long ago that continue to enrich New Yorkers’ lives. One favorite is David Warfield, the most famous actor in 1920s New York. As he neared the end of his life, David lost his vision. This drove him to leave a major gift to The Trust in his will to help others with vision loss.
Over the past 75 years, David’s fund has granted millions to support people with vision loss in places like the settlement houses in the South Bronx, where 84% of participants failed eye exams. Thanks to David, and other legacy donors, The Trust is the largest contributor to disability causes in our region.
As we head into the heart of the annual giving season and approach our 100th anniversary in 2024, we must find the right balance between preservation and progress and evolve to meet the urgent needs of the communities we serve—from climate change to migration to decarceration.
The Trust’s anniversary offers an amazing opportunity to find and celebrate the David Warfields of our time and help a new generation of donors create new legacies and make change, together. It is only through the power of collaboration and community that we can act at the scale demanded by the awesome challenges ahead.
Help us spread the word about the power of community philanthropy and be a part of our next 100 years.”