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These people really do provide something heavenly in the nonprofit arts world: money

Sunday, June 02, 2002

Teresa Heinz and the Heinz family
Philanthropists

The Heinz family and its foundations, longtime supporters of arts and culture in the region, continued to broaden the scope and definition of their funding with more than $10 million in grants. In addition to the Heinz Endowments' ongoing support of cultural institutions, major funding was directed to the issues of urban design, arts education in public schools, individual artists and cultural diversity. Another philanthropic arm is the Heinz Family Foundation, which bestows the prestigious $250,000 Heinz Award in Arts and Humanities. Though Teresa Heinz spends less time in Pittsburgh since her marriage to Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, her three sons have begun to step up to the plate. Also still active locally is Cultural District visionary Jack Heinz's widow, Drue, whose contributions include ongoing support for the Drue Heinz Lectures and the Heinz Architectural Center.

Henry and Elsie Hillman
Philanthropists

	FRIENDLY FUNDERS Their generosity helps make it all possible: Teresa Heinz, left, "Anonymous" and Elsie Hillman. (Lake Fong, Post-Gazette)

The Rink at PPG was their most visible contribution to Pittsburgh last year, but it's the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the generosity of the Hillman family. They give primarily through The Hillman Foundation Inc. and The Henry L. Hillman Foundation, and more than $10 million was distributed in 2001 to agencies in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Recipients included The Carnegie Museums and Library, Pittsburgh Children's Museum, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Phipps Conservatory, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art and Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Even more important is the support the Hillmans provide with their presence at many cultural events. Who but Mrs. Hillman would dress up as Peter Pan at her Elsie Awards to benefit WQED?

Anonymous
Philanthropists

Check out the donor list of any arts group and you'll see "anonymous" listed with all the Mr. & Mrs. So-and-so's. Who could "anonymous" be? The Pittsburgh Symphony received 118 anonymous donations last season, the Pittsburgh Public Theater 124. In addition, there's an anonymous donor who gives $10,000 to three Pittsburgh artists every year. At least one thing is known: these anonymi have dough, and the only thing we need to know is that some of it supports the arts.