Who We Are

For more than 70 years, the Brookdale Foundation Group (the Group) has worked to advance the fields of geriatrics and gerontology to improve the lives of older adults in New York City, across the country, and around the world.

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Established in 1950 by brothers Henry, Irving, Robert, Benjamin, and Arnold Schwartz, the Group initially focused on the medical field and on scholarship support for higher education. Under the leadership of Henry L. Schwartz, who was succeeded by his nephew, Stephen L. Schwartz in 1984, the focus shifted to serving America's older adults and supporting health care systems. Since then, we have strived to stay on the cutting edge of issues in the field of aging. This has included cultivating the next generation of leaders through our Leadership in Aging Fellowship Program, which we sponsored for more than two decades. Currently, we offer seed grants for two national initiatives, our Group Respite Program and our Relatives as Parents Program. Through it all, the vision and compassion of the Schwartz family remain our driving force as we focus on the needs and challenges of America's older adults.