- Samuel Johnson

The Kenny Gordon Foundation was established in 1999 after the sudden and tragic passing of our son, brother, and friend, Kenny Gordon, due to heart failure at age 26. It is the Foundation's mission to preserve Kenny's memory through various charitable endeavors that reflect the vivacious and generous spirit of a young man who viewed the world through unbiased eyes and offered friendship to all those with whom he came in contact.

The foundation has made great strides in the past four years, establishing a full four-year scholarship at Skidmore College through the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) benefiting students who are not only economically challenged, but academically deprived as well. The scholarship targets high school students that have the ability to thrive in a higher education environment, but whose schools do not provide the support or resources necessary to prepare them for the academic challenges of college. The KGF currently has three Kenny Gordon Scholars enrolled at Skidmore.

The Foundation is very proud of its recent sizeable donation on April 24, 2003 to Cornell University/New York Presbyterian Hospital and Dr. Bruce Lerman, Chief of the Division of Cardiology and the Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory. Dr. Lerman and his staff are studying how sudden cardiac death caused by arrhythmias can be prevented. More than 350,000 deaths occur from arrhythmias annually in the U.S. Nearly 100,000 defibrillators are implanted each year to combat arrhythmias, however, these devices only work once arrhythmias have already developed. Many times the defibrillator cannot reverse the heart's rhythm and the patient dies. For more information on arrhythmias, click here.

Under Dr. Lerman's umbrella, a research laboratory headed by Dr. David Christini, Ph.D. is currently working on an alternative to this post-arrhythmia onset approach. Such an achievement would mark a significant advancement towards a fundamental shift in arrhythmia therapy. By preventing arrhythmias rather than dangerously waiting to terminate them after they have started, this approach may one day save thousands of lives.

The Foundation has also established Kenny's Kids at Morry's Camp. Morry's Camp is a year-round youth development organization that provides to each child a multi-year commitment anchored by a superb residential summer camp experience. The children, for whom these experiences would not otherwise be available, benefit from a network of support and gain increased social skills, enhanced self-esteem, positive core values and a greater sense of personal responsibility. The Kenny Gordon Foundation is a 501c(3) charity. Your generosity and support are crucial in allowing us to keep pursuing these endeavors: that we know would make Kenny proud.

Because KGF is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, gifts are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.