$10 million new gift from billion-dollar donor Dr. Ruth L. Gottesman aims to strengthen youth education through support of public library
As we reported earlier in Lifestyles Magazine/Meaningful Influence, Ruth L. Gottesman has long been a force in New York philanthropy, known for her quiet but transformative giving, often aimed at education and healthcare.
Recently, she stunned the philanthropic world with a gift valued at $1 billion to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, ensuring free tuition for all students there in perpetuity.
That donation, one of the largest ever made to an educational institution in the United States, underscored her conviction that access to knowledge can change lives, particularly in communities where opportunity is scarce.
Now, Dr. Gottesman is again directing her vision and generosity toward the Bronx, this time with a $10 million gift from The Gottesman Fund to strengthen youth education through the New York Public Library.
The donation, announced this week, will significantly expand NYPL After School and early literacy programming in the Bronx, a borough where over a third of children live below the poverty line and where the need for free, accessible enrichment opportunities is acute.
Since 2021, The Gottesman Fund has committed $15 million specifically to Bronx libraries, helping to build out an educational infrastructure that extends beyond the school day and into the trusted neighborhood branches that anchor so many families’ lives.
Gottesman, who has described education and literacy as the foundation of opportunity, made clear that the gift is about ensuring that children in the Bronx have a safe and reliable place not only to do their homework, but to grow in confidence and curiosity.
The impact of NYPL After School is already visible. Last year, attendance in the Bronx surged by 26 percent, reflecting the overwhelming demand for structured support outside the classroom. The program, which runs Monday to Thursday during the school year, serves children aged six to twelve, offering homework help, reading support, and enrichment activities led by tutors and Teen Reading Ambassadors.
With this new funding, 22 Bronx branches will be able to expand their reach, part of a network of 52 sites citywide.
For many of the children who attend, the program is the difference between struggling alone with homework and having mentorship and encouragement to succeed.
For the teens who serve as Reading Ambassadors, it is also a chance to take responsibility, connect with younger children, and gain skills that prepare them for their own futures.
The gift also bolsters the library’s Little Learners series and Caregiver Conversations, programs designed for families with young children.
By combining literacy-building activities with community partnerships—whether with pediatric clinics, health centers, or the Bronx doula network, NYPL extends its reach into the homes and daily lives of families, creating an ecosystem of support that begins well before school age.
The emphasis on multilingual programming, music, and cultural storytelling reflects Gottesman’s belief in fostering both literacy and identity from the earliest years.
Her philanthropy comes at a moment when libraries are being reimagined not just as repositories of books, but as vibrant centers of community life and education.
The New York Public Library, the largest free education provider in the city outside the public school system, serves 16 million visitors annually across its 90 locations.
It distributes school supplies, connects families with resources, and introduces generations of children to the joy of reading.
Gottesman’s gift is both a vote of confidence in this mission and a recognition of the unique role libraries play in bridging gaps of equity and access.
What distinguishes Ruth Gottesman is the continuity of her giving.
From her billion-dollar investment in higher education at Einstein to this $10 million directed toward early literacy and after-school programming, she has embraced a spectrum of educational needs, from the earliest readers to future physicians.
The throughline is clear: whether a child in the Bronx struggling with homework or a medical student burdened by tuition debt, opportunity should not be constrained by circumstance.
With this latest gift, Dr. Gottesman has not only reinforced her legacy as one of the most consequential philanthropists of her generation but also sharpened the focus on the Bronx as a community whose children deserve the full promise of education.
Her philanthropy ensures that promises grow brighter, branch by branch, book by book, student by student.