| January Charity of the Month: The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation |
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The Gingrich Foundation is proud to honor the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. as its January Charity of the Month. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation cares for two of America's most iconic historical sites -- Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. January 1, 2012 marked the 120th anniversary of Ellis Island's opening day. From the time Ellis Island opened its doors in 1892 until the Island's closing in 1954, twelve million people passed through on their way to a new life in the United States. It is estimated that over 100 million of us can trace our ancestry back to someone who entered the United States through Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are at the heart of what it means to be an American. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation is charged with protecting and preserving these national treasures. In 1982, both sites were in need of significant restoration when President Ronald Reagan asked Lee Iacocca, chairman of the Chrysler Corporation, to lead a fundraising effort dedicated to their preservation. The Foundation worked together with the National Park Service to begin first the restoration of the Statue of Liberty, an effort that eventually involved more than 1,000 people working to repair the crown's rays, rebuild its interior structural support, and replace the worn-out torch. The effort also involved the installation of a Statue of Liberty Museum in the statue's base. Next, the Foundation conducted an equally successful campaign to restore Ellis Island, which added the Ellis Island Immigration Museum as well as theaters, libraries, exhibits, and an oral history recording studio. The museum has helped educate more than 40 million visitors since it opened in 1990. Today, the Foundation is working to improve the museum with the addition of the Peopling of America® Center, which will be fully completed next year. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation has also enabled those with internet access to find information on their ancestors who passed through Ellis Island with the American Family Immigration History Center ®. The AFIHC contains searchable passenger records as well as ships' original manifests. Anyone who passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1924 is likely to be represented in the AFIHC archive, making it a treasure both for historians and for family genealogists. The archive is also accessible as a resource for those who visit the island, facilitating discoveries that can make the experience even more personal and meaningful. To date, the Foundation has raised over $600 million, and all of it has come from the generosity of the American people. The Foundation has never received any government funding, which was the mandate of President Ronald Reagan when he asked Lee Iacocca to head the original restoration. The Foundation's support continues to come from the private sector and from the generosity of individual Americans. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation has been working for 30 years to save important pieces of our history. Please join us in supporting the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation today. Your Friends,
Newt and Callista Gingrich |
