About
I am so sorry that yet more professionals have chosen to turn a blind eye to exploitation and abuse of elders…. This is a pervasive problem, which few wish to acknowledge even exists.
-Former director, Mayor’s Office on Aging, South Carolina
Our Purpose
The Huguette Clark Foundation supports innovative approaches in the fight against the financial abuse of elders. Our aim is to prevent, or seek justice for, the emotional and psychological manipulation of elders, which is often committed by professionals, caregivers, and institutions.
The Foundation makes impactful grants to address immediate needs overlooked by traditional programs. It also seeks to develop effective models to fight elder abuse that can be brought to scale or replicated nationwide.
The Huguette Clark Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 83-3711206). All contributions to the Foundation are fully tax-deductible.
The Foundation’s Roots
The exploitation of their Aunt Huguette by her professional advisors and caregivers horrified the Clark family. Huguette’s attorney, accountant and those responsible for her medical care had manipulated her out of nearly $40 million over two decades.
Determined to bring good from a terrible situation, the Clark family resolved to protect elders in similar circumstances across the country. Multiple generations of the Clark family – descendants of Huguette’s father, Sen. William A. Clark – are committed to protecting vulnerable elders and holding accountable those who abuse the trust of elders.
In 2018, the Clark family established the Huguette Clark Foundation as the successor to a charitable field-of-interest fund created at the New York Community Trust in 2013.
A Societal Problem
Elder abuse affects millions of people across all socioeconomic levels. Isolation, mental illness, and dementia exacerbate the problem by making elders even more susceptible to those who would exploit them. With some 10,000 Americans reaching age 65 every day and life expectancies lengthening, elder abuse is a societal concern that could be on the rise for decades.
Unethical behavior by family members or those entrusted with the care of elders spurs widespread outrage. Tragic stories abound of those who have violated the trust put on them in caring for a vulnerable elder. Through continued grants that help to prevent or seek justice for elder abuse, the Foundation hopes to effect positive change for elders across the country.