These four actually formed a not for profit called The Food Policy Center which was a lobbying group that monitored the President’s Commission on World Hunger of which Harry was a member.
The Harry Chapin Memorial Fund was created in 1981 with help from Harry's former manager Ken Kragen and Kenny Rogers who donated $150,000 from a benefit concert. Harry's widow Sandy Chapin has led the organization from the beginning. While the name was changed to the Harry Chapin Foundation, its mission has stayed the same - to help make a positive difference in communities around the country.
As of December of 2010 the Foundation has distributed close to 1.7 million dollars to 399 organizations. Of these 219 grants were made to organizations in NYS and the remaining 180 in other states. Awards were made as follows:
- $235,510 in awards to Arts In Education Programs
- $448,426 to Community Education Programs
- $749,171 to Agricultural and Environmental Programs
| 
