The EVA L. AND JOSEPH M. BRUENING FOUNDATION, established in Cleveland in 1988 with the estates of Eva L. Bruening and her husband Joseph M. Bruening (founder of BEARINGS, INC.), quickly took its place among the nation's largest FOUNDATIONS. It was ranked as the 17th largest independent foundation in northeast Ohio by 1990. The Bruening Foundation disbursed more than $5.5 million in grants in its first year (1988) to organizations such as JOHN CARROLL UNIV. (JCU), the AMERICAN RED CROSS, CLEVELAND CHAPTER, and ST. VINCENT CHARITY HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CENTER. Each of those institutions received $1 million that year. Eva and Joseph Bruening, active in PHILANTHROPY anonymously during their lifetimes, chose to have the foundation set up only after their deaths (they died within a month of each other in 1987). Limited to the Greater Cleveland area, the Bruening Foundation has funded cultural activities, EDUCATION and health and social services, especially for older persons, the disabled and disadvantaged. It has emphasized Roman Catholic causes (see CATHOLICS, ROMAN) such as CATHOLIC CHARITIES CORP. and PARMADALE CHILDREN'S VILLAGE OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL and has also funded programs to prevent domestic violence (CENTER FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE) and to help people with AIDS (Community AIDS Partnership Project). With assets of $41,182,809, the Bruening Foundation disbursed over $1.5 million in 1993 for 81 grants ranging between $580 and $100,000. In 1992 grantees included JUDSON RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, Our Lady of the Wayside Children's Home, the Cleveland Development Foundation, and the CLEVELAND SIGHT CENTER. The Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation maintained offices on EUCLID AVE. in 1995, with Janet Narten as executive director. It shared staff with the THOMAS H. WHITE CHARITABLE TRUST and the Woodruff Foundation.
Finding aid for the Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation Papers, Series I, WRHS.
Finding aid for the Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation Papers, Series II, WRHS.
See also FOUNDATIONS.