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DR. RICHARD BARNETT
FOUNDATION
| | " There can be no greater gift than that of giving one's time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return." | |
Education has the power to transform lives and break the barriers of circumstance. As Nelson Mandela once said:
“Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
At the Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation, this belief drives everything we do — empowering our scholars through learning, opportunity, and hope. Since Dr. Barnett's passing several months ago, we've had a lot of time to reflect on all that he was on and off the court, the legacy he left behind, and the example he set for us and the youth we serve in our program.
Since his playing days, Dr. Barnett consistently gave his time and energy to uplifting, inspiring, and encouraging youth to get their education, work hard, and to follow their dreams. He used his platform to show kids that, no matter where you come from, no matter the obstacles you face, you can live your dream and be everything your heart and mind desire to be.
Born into segregation and severe poverty, Dr. Barnett grew up in the steel mills of Gary, Indiana in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, and that was all he knew as a kid. As a high schooler, Dr. Barnett formulated a dream, and it was simple, he wanted to be somebody. And how was he going to be somebody? Basketball. That was his plan and his only way out of Gary and nothing was going to get in between him and his dream. As a young boy, Dr. Barnett was very cognizant of his family's lineage. He had a deep appreciation for what his grandparents and great grandparents sacrificed for him to be "free" from slavery. He made it his duty and primary responsibility to make something of himself and earn respect for his family name so their sacrifices were not in vain.
By his senior year of high school, he certainly did make a name for himself and his family on the segregated basketball courts of Indiana and took his basketball off to college to Tennessee A & I. As a young college student, all Dr. Barnett knew was the devastating realities of the Jim Crow laws of the deep south. Amidst the racism, adversity, and pain, he constantly affirmed to himself that nothing was going to stop him from living his dream and being somebody.
Fast forward, as we all know, Dr. Barnett certainly lived that dream and many others, earning him the nickname, "The Dream Whisperer". Amongst many other accomplishments, awards, and achievements, Dr. Barnett went on to earn two bachelors degrees, a masters degree from NYU, and a Ph.D. in Education from Fordham University. His basketball prowess has earned him nine hall of fame inductions to date, with surely more to come.
Even with all of his historical accomplishments and success on the court and in the classroom, Dr. Barnett took the most pride in the positive impact he had on the communities he played and lived. Providing resources, opening doors, and giving kids hope, and empowering them by letting them know that they are somebody, and that they too can live their dreams, was Dr. Barnett's most important accomplishment. Telling his story of where he came from and what he was able to accomplish with so little, has had an immense impact on the scholars in our program and beyond. His resiliency, ambition, and fearless determination has empowered our youth and now each and every one of them carries his torch, just as he dreamed they would.
One of Dr. Barnett's heroes was Nelson Mandela, and he took pride in giving his time, energy, and resources to help others, particularly kids. He used education as a tool to gain and share wisdom, self-esteem, and confidence. He took the very little he was given as a young boy, amongst unfathomable adversity, and made it to the mountaintops. All along he knew that in doing so, he was going to inspire so many other kids for generations to come, and show them that if he can do it, they can do it too.
Last year, we started a “Thank You” video for Dr. Barnett that he unfortunately never had the chance to see. This tribute video above shows the tip of the iceberg of the reach and impact he continues to have to this day through the Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation. His legacy continues on strong, and these life-changing experiences are only possible because of you, our donors and sponsors. To continue supporting Dr. Barnett's legacy through empowering our scholars with opportunities that open doors to their dreams, please consider making a contribution here:
| Please take a few moments to read about some of our recent impact and learn more about the kids your sponsorship has supported below. Also, check out a short video we created featuring voices from across our expanding community, including supporters, sponsors and friends, all united in making our mission possible. | | |
Steve Baumley
Co-Founder & Executive Director
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Scholar Success Stories
Impact in Action
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Kianah was born and raised in New Jersey and graduated from Landmark High School in Chelsea this past summer. Kianah is one of our original DRBF scholars and has been in our program since 2021. Since joining our Scholars Program, Kianah has received free and intensive SAT prep tutoring, as well as college advising and executive functioning support, career exploration experiences, and 1:1 social-emotional learning coaching through our ‘Dream Big, Lead Boldly’ program.
Kianah graduated from high school as an honors student and is very active in our volunteering efforts across New York City, and also with her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Earlier this year, she was recognized by the New Jersey State Senate for her extraordinary academic record and her determined efforts to excel within the Ivy League Educational Foundation Mentoring Program.
Last summer, Kianah was awarded a $3,000 academic scholarship from the John Starks Foundation for her exemplary academic achievements and commitment to community service. The scholarship award has the potential to be renewed each year in college for remaining in good academic standing.
At our 4th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic last August, we added to the John Starks Foundation scholarship, and awarded Kianah with a $7,500 academic scholarship so she can pursue her dreams at Virginia State University. Kianah is majoring in business management and has aspirations to be an entrepreneur and wants to pursue a career in real estate.
While in college, Kianah will continue to receive virtual 1:1 social-emotional learning coaching through our program, and when home, will continue volunteering with us and participating in our career exploration and mentorship events, so she can network with business leaders who can help her realize her dreams.
| | “The DRBF has always been there to provide advice, resources, and encouragement throughout high school and now into college. Having this Foundation in my life makes me feel supported and confident as I take on new challenges. I wouldn’t be where I am today without this amazing program.” |
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Lawrence was born in Philadelphia and moved to New York City ten years ago. As a young boy, Lawrence was fascinated by trains and the New York City subway system and his dream for wanting to be an engineer began. Last summer, Lawrence graduated from Landmark High School in Chelsea and is also another one of our original DRBF scholars and has been in our program since 2021. Since joining our Scholars Program, he has received free and intensive SAT prep tutoring, as well as college advising and executive functioning support, career exploration experiences, and 1:1 social-emotional learning coaching through our ‘Dream Big, Lead Boldly’ program. Lawrence was also a scholar in our partner SOAL U’s Princeton University summer STEAM program in 2023.
Lawrence graduated from high school top 10 in his class and has been very active in our volunteering efforts across New York City. Last summer, Lawrence was also awarded a $3,000 academic scholarship from the John Starks Foundation for his exemplary academic achievements and commitment to community service. The scholarship award has the potential to be renewed each year in college for remaining in good academic standing.
At our 4th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic last August, we again added to the John Starks Foundation scholarship, and awarded Lawrence with a $7,500 academic scholarship so he can pursue his dreams of becoming an engineer as part of the prestigious P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science program at Lehigh University.
While in college, Lawrence will continue to receive virtual 1:1 social-emotional learning coaching through our program, and when home, will continue volunteering with us and being a mentor to our younger scholars.
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"As a student that just graduated from high school and is now attending Lehigh
University, I am so grateful and thankful for the DRBF. This is an organization that cares about students. They want students to succeed. Throughout high school, I’ve been supported by the great people in the Foundation, and they have blessed me with countless opportunities to explore, network, and grow as an individual.
The DRBF also prepared me for college and for what was to come in the next chapter of my life. They advocated for me, and helped me get into my dream college, and provided me with funds to help pay for my tuition. Even now that I am in college, the DRBF team continues to support my academic journey, and it is truly remarkable how much support I have gotten from the program. I can’t say thank you enough to Dr. Barnett, the DRBF team, and everyone that supports the Foundation and keeps it running."
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Marilyn was born and raised in New York City and is a senior at Landmark High School in Chelsea and has been a DRBF scholar since 2023. Since joining our Scholars Program, Marilyn has received free and intensive SAT prep tutoring, as well as college advising and executive functioning support, career exploration experiences and 1:1 social-emotional learning coaching through our ‘Dream Big, Lead Boldly’ program, and participated in our partner SOAL U’s Princeton University STEAM program last summer.
Marilyn is currently enrolled in several college courses and has a 3.7 GPA. She is very active in our volunteering efforts across New York City, is a mentor to younger DRBF scholars, and she wants to pursue a career in social work. Marilyn is actively applying to colleges and her dream is to attend Emory University and one day be part of its graduate-level Master of Social Work program.
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"The Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation invests in my future. This Foundation takes the time to get to know each individual involved, and I personally feel seen. I have been able to network and meet many different people who have now become my role models. During my time at the SOAL U STEAM summer camp in Princeton, which was made possible through the DRBF, I networked with many Princeton alumni and professors who have extended their emails for me to keep in contact.
I have also been motivated in my journey through high school because of the support I have gotten from the DRBF team. I am currently going through my college application process and I feel like I can easily reach out when I need guidance and support. I am excited to continue being a part of this Foundation and engaging in all of the opportunities that it brings me."
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Nick is a senior at Landmark High School in Chelsea and has been a DRBF scholar since 2022. Since joining our Scholars Program, he has received free and intensive SAT prep tutoring, as well as college advising and executive functioning support, career exploration experiences, and social-emotional learning coaching through our ‘Dream Big, Lead Boldly’ program. Nick has been very active in our volunteering efforts across New York City and is a mentor to younger scholars in our program.
At our 4th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic this past August, we awarded Nick with a $7,500 academic scholarship so he can attend college and pursue his dreams. He is currently ranked in the top 15 of his class and is applying to several New York-based schools, such as Ithaca College, Marist University, and Niagara University. Nick's dream is to study finance and business administration, and wants to pursue a career in investment banking.
| | "The Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation has been a very meaningful source of support for me as I've navigated high school. The Foundation has provided me with a scholarship that will ease the burden of my tuition, which will enable me to focus on my studies in college. Through the mentorship programs from the Foundation, I’ve received guidance on course selection, college applications, and career planning. I can't thank everyone at the Foundation enough for all of their support and for believing in me!" | | |
DRBF Scholars Program
Updates
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This school year, we're continuing our great partnership with Study Smart Tutors and together we've had an incredible impact on our high school scholars across our academic and mental wellness programming hubs. We are so proud to see the impact we've had and our mission fulfilled by sending our first wave of DRBF scholars off to college this past fall, and prepared for the future. There is nothing more rewarding for us than to see our vision come to life over these past five years, and see so many of our scholars' lives changed in such a significant way.
Our '25-26 DRBF Scholars Program is up and running at our in-person site hubs at Landmark High School in Chelsea, Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School in The Bronx, La Salle Academy in Manhattan, and Queens School of Inquiry in Queens.
Across our in-person site hubs this school year, our partners at Study Smart Tutors are offering both PSAT and SAT group and 1:1 tutoring, and they're also conducting five-week workshops consisting of the following: College and Career Readiness support, College Essay support, College Application Process support, Executive Functioning and Leadership Skills, and Financial Literacy.
Through our DRBF Empowerment Program "Dream Big, Lead Boldly", we're providing in-person social-emotional learning coaching around topics such as: Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Self-Love, Self-Confidence, Self-Motivation, Active Listening, Strategic Thinking, Decision-Making, Relationship Building, Empathy, Growth Mindset, and Recognizing Character Strengths.
Our DRBF Empowerment Program, led by Amy Lee Flower, our wonderful Director of Youth Empowerment and Leadership, is designed to uplift, inspire, and encourage our scholars to be leaders at school and in their communities and to dream big and lead boldly. We also offer virtual 1:1 social-emotional learning coaching that serves scholars from various high schools across Brooklyn, Manhattan, The Bronx, and Queens.
Please check out our DRBF Empowerment Program video here:
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* Actively Looking to Expand our Reach *
Next school year we're looking to expand our DRBF Scholars Program and add another in-person site partner or two. If you or someone you know would like to nominate a school or community organization for us to consider partnering with, we'd love to be connected with them to discuss possibilities! This is a completely free program with no strings attached, so please share our information with anyone you think may be interested in partnering with us and encourage them to reach out, as soon as possible. Thank you!
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Career Exploration Recaps
MSG and VaynerX HQ
| | As part of our "Dream Big, Lead Boldly" DRBF Empowerment Program, we open doors and bring our scholars into the bright lights and prestigious environments of our partner organizations for career exploration panels and mentorship experiences. We lead our youth into these high-profile spaces to show them that if they work hard, they too can have a long and successful dream career at these global organizations. Further, it allows our scholars to step into these offices and envision themselves working there and see first-hand that these opportunities exist for people just like them. During these career exploration experiences, our DRBF staff, celebrity guests, and partner organization executives thoughtfully uplift, inspire, and encourage our scholars to dream big and to be leaders at school and in their communities. | | |
Our 2025 Career Exploration Day series kicked off with a visit to Nike Headquarters and continued on this past summer with our visits to Madison Square Garden and VaynerX! We had amazing experiences both days with more than thirty of our scholars at each visit. MSG and VaynerX leaders welcomed and networked with our scholars and exposed them to behind-the-scenes careers and opportunities in the sports, entertainment, media, and marketing industries.
Both events were filled with inspiration and enlightenment from executives at each company. Thanks to everyone at MSG and VaynerX who made these visits possible, and for providing an extra special and impactful experience for our youth.
Our Career Exploration Day series continues this year with a visit to Fanatics NYC HQ and Google NYC HQ. We're currently planning a visit to NFL HQ and will have many others lined up after that!
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Summer of a Lifetime
at Princeton University
| | Five of our driven scholars from around New York City had an amazing experience this past summer at former New York Net, Brian Taylor’s, Summer of a Lifetime University. Brian and his team at SOAL U are incredible partners of ours and each summer run a two-week long Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math Program at Princeton University. | | | SOAL U is, “Dedicated to training future leaders for a diverse and inclusive world.” Further, “SOAL U strives to unite students from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, geographic, and racial backgrounds through shared summer educational experiences at the top universities in the nation in order to develop and prepare the next generation of leaders with the social capital, critical thinking skills, and leadership-building experiences that will prepare them for our diverse, complex, and technologically driven world.“ | This was our third summer providing full scholarships for this amazing opportunity to a group of our highly motivated Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation scholars. To learn more about our partnership with SOAL U and the huge impact these experiences are having on our scholars, please check out this video: | | |
Walt "Clyde" Frazier Book Tour Kicks off in Brooklyn
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Last spring we kicked off our elementary school book tour and brought the one and only Walt "Clyde" Frazier to P.S. 21 Crispus Attucks School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and gave out 175 copies of his inspiring children’s book “Winning & Grinning” by Bright Time Books.
Throughout his special visit, Clyde uplifted and encouraged the youth and empowered them to dream. He let them know that if he could live his dreams, with hard work and making the right decisions, they can do it too! It was a really special day that left us all inspired. Thank you to our sponsors, the New York Knicks and Peapack Private Bank, for making this amazing experience possible for the kids. Thank you to Brothers Building Bridges for all of your dedication in guiding our New York City youth down the right path through your positive programs.
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We're continuing our "Winning & Grinning" book tour with Clyde this year with a visit to Brooklyn Gardens Elementary School, and we are planning a few more elementary school visits across the city next school year. Our vision moving forward at the DRBF is to bring other positive and uplifting children's book authors into our underserved elementary schools to share valuable lessons and spread cheer, optimism, and hope to our youth, and get them excited about their futures.
Please check out our recap video below from our visit which shows the pure joy and excitement on the kids' faces while listening to Clyde speak. We want to give a big shout-out and thank you to Clyde for being such a great role model for the youth of New York City and beyond. He knows these visits make all the difference in the world for a kid, and he's truly the best!
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Financial Literacy Workshops
at Peapack Private Bank & Dime Bank
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A core part of our mission at the DRBF is to provide financial literacy workshops to our scholars because we believe that learning how to manage money wisely is key to living with confidence, stability, and long-term financial health.
Over the past month, our friends at Peapack Private Bank and Dime Bank have generously led financial literacy workshops for our scholars at the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School and Landmark High School. We’re deeply grateful for their commitment to empowering our youth with essential money management skills. This fall, our programming partner, Study Smart Tutors, is continuing this important work through a five-week financial literacy workshop for our scholars at the Queens School of Inquiry.
Many students in the New York City Public Schools system lack access to practical financial education, leaving them unprepared to navigate credit, budgeting, student loans, and investing. By equipping scholars with these critical life skills, we empower them to make informed decisions, achieve long-term stability, and pursue their goals with confidence. These opportunities are not just educational, they are transformative pathways to equity and economic empowerment.
Thank you again to everyone at Peapack Private Bank and Dime Bank who made these incredibly impactful workshops possible. These sessions are changing the way our scholars think about their futures—and it’s all thanks to your time and support. We look forward to building on this momentum with our upcoming winter sessions!
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The Bowery Mission
Partnership
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Last year we started our volunteering partnership with The Bowery Mission. Since the 1870's, The Bowery Mission has been a place of welcome, care, and healing in New York City. The team at TBM meets urgent needs and creates transformative community, helping people overcome homelessness and poverty through the love of Jesus.
A huge part of our mission at the DRBF is to set a good example for our youth and show them that helping others is the most important thing we can do as human beings.
During our volunteer visit, we donated 100 pounds of fresh food to The Bowery Mission’s pantry and helped with sorting and organizing their clothing donations. We’re thankful for opportunities like this because it makes a big difference in the lives of our less fortunate neighbors.
Thank you to Peapack Private Bank for believing in our mission and sponsoring our volunteer visit by providing our scholars with new DRBF gear and a delicious lunch afterwards!
We're looking forward to our next volunteer opportunity coming up during the holidays! To join us in volunteering a helping hand to our neighbors, please visit TBM website at www.Bowery.org to schedule a shift.
Please check out our quick recap video from the event here:
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Once a Knick
Always a Knick
| | Since 2021, we've stepped up and donated over 100K to these wonderful New York-based community initiatives led by Knick legends. We all support each other year in and year out in countless ways and this camaraderie and community leadership gives true meaning to the old adage, "Teamwork makes the dream work!" | | |
Dreams come true and goals are reached when you have a great team around you working together to reach the mountaintop. Selflessness, drive, ambition, and teamwork have been the ingredients of the winning formula and the Knick way for decades on the court and in the New York City community.
Our team at the Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation is a proud partner and supporter of The Walt Frazier Youth Foundation, the John Starks Foundation, the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation (The FISLL Project), the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School, and the Garden of Dreams Foundation.
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Dr. Barnett Inducted
into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame
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Congratulations to our late great, Dr. Barnett, on his posthumous induction into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame's Class of 2025! This was Dr. Barnett's ninth Hall of Fame induction!
Please check out Dr. Barnett's enshrinement video which was proudly done by our dedicated board member and good friend, David Jordan Jr. David nominated Dr. Barnett for induction earlier this year and the committee was excited to vote him in with flying colors!
Quentin Roach, Chairman of the NBCA HOF, along with Dwayne Tucker, President of Dr. Barnett's alma mater, Tennessee State University, presented the award to David who was accepting on behalf of Dr. Barnett.
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Here's the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame's tribute honoring Dr. Barnett's career:
"Too Late...Fall Back Baby."
So went the refrain from Dick Barnett whenever he knew that his shot was on target. And more often than not, the unorthodox lefty knew that his shot was on target. Barnett, a native of Gary, Indiana, played basketball at Roosevelt High School, an all-Black vestige of the Hoosier State’s Jim Crow laws. He thrived at Roosevelt, leading the team to the state final in 1955.
From Gary, Barnett headed south to play for the legendary coach, John McLendon, at Tennessee A&I, a small HBCU that formed the first dynasty in college basketball. McLendon’s Tigers won three consecutive national championships starting in 1957. Barnett earned All-America honors each season and twice was named MVP of the NAIA Tournament. Barnett was selected by the Syracuse Nationals in the 1959 NBA Draft and spent the next 15 years playing professionally. His nine seasons with the New York Knicks included two NBA titles and one All-Star appearance. Barnett’s one-year hiatus from the NBA produced a championship with the Cleveland Pipers of the ABL, cementing his status as one of basketball’s all-time winners. Off the court, Dick was best known as Dr. Barnett.
After basketball, Dick dedicated his life to education, earning several bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree from New York University, and a PhD in Education from Fordham University. Since the 1960’s Dick’s passion was uplifting and inspiring youth, using his platform to encourage them to work hard and chase their dreams, just as he did. Up until his passing in April of 2025, Dr. Barnett was dedicated to opening doors and validating dreams for kids in his Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation scholars program. Dick Barnett was a basketball legend, civil rights activist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, educator, and dreamer. He was the definition of a true Renaissance man.
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Save the Date
DRBF 5th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic on August 10th, 2026
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This summer we’ll be hosting our 5th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic at Rockland Country Club on Monday, August 10th. Powered by the experts at Eagel Promotions, foursomes paired with celebrities will enjoy a relaxing day of friendly competition, all while contributing to the DRBF’s transformative mission. More information will be coming soon! In the meantime, please reach out and email us if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you all there!
Our 4th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic was a tremendous success! Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we awarded $30,000 in college scholarships to four outstanding students, helping make their dream of attending college a reality.
We were also proud to honor our friend and golf committee member, Ed Sirlin, with the inaugural Michael Schwartz Community Impact Award. To honor our late friend, founding board member, and golf committee chairman emeritus, Michael Schwartz, we will be annually celebrating a community champion who helps us thrive at our celebrity golf classic. This person will demonstrate leadership, passion, and a commitment to a thriving and equitable community in their everyday life, just as Michael had.
Please check out the tribute video we made for our friend Michael here:
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As our honoree, Ed stepped up in a big way encouraging his extensive network to come out and support our mission, as well as getting his employer, Customers Bank, involved as our event sponsor. Thank you Ed for all you've done since day one and continue to do to support the kids in our program!
For a recap video of our 4th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic last year at Glen Head Country Club, please check out the video below:
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The lifeblood of our Foundation is the spark we strive to ignite in the minds and hearts of our young scholars. Dr. Barnett’s vision was to illuminate a path for them, shedding light on the vast universe of opportunities that exist in New York City and beyond. Since 2021, over four hundred scholars have greatly benefitted from our academic and mental wellness programs, career exploration days, and athletic camps.
Our Foundation is built upon the most noble and enduring ideals. It is a shining reflection of the philosophy that by extending a helping hand to the young people of our community today we are making a lasting investment in the ultimate improvement of our world for generations to come.
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Dr. Richard Barnett Foundation
P.O. Box 8667
New York, NY 10116
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