Italian Heritage Foundation

In the middle of the 20th century, Italian Americans felt that they were not considered as socially desirable as the rest of the American population. Realizing that changes in perceptions were needed, six prominent Italian Americans began a far-reaching crusade to demonstrate their ethnicity’s worth to the Greater Rochester, NY community. It would begin with a mission to create an awareness that Italian Americans were indeed a people capable of doing good for those who were neglected and less fortunate in society. To that end, a Foundation for charitable giving was created as a New York State Not-for-Profit corporation, having U.S. IRS 501(c)(3) status. That entity is known as the Italian Heritage Foundation of Rochester.