Richard Fields
Philanthropy
Richard Fields established the philanthropic organization The Fields Family Foundation in 2005. Through the Fields Family Foundation, Richard Fields supports causes focused on children, medical research, law enforcement, and agriculture throughout the United States.
Among the philanthropic institutions that the Fields Family Foundation supports are the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Good Shepherd Services, The New York City Police Foundation, Farm Aid, the American Quarter Horse Foundation, and the University of Rochester Medical Center.
National Center for Mission and Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is The Nation's Resource Center for Child Protection. The NCMEC is a global leader in assisting families, law enforcement, and news media in locating missing children throughout the world. NCMEC also educates the public about the dangers of child theft, threat to runaways, internet safety, and related issues. Richard Fields is a secretary for NCMEC. In 2006, Richard Fields was also a secretary.
Good Shepherd Services
Good Shepherd Services is a nonprofit organization focused on helping vulnerable youth in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn connect with family, school, and the community until they reach self-sufficiency. The Richard Fields’ Fields Family Foundation has supported Good Shepherd Services for the past two decades. In 2007, Richard Fields helped sponsor a holiday program for Good Shepherd children with FAO Schwarz toy store.
The New York City Police Foundation
The New York City Police Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports New York Police and increases the effectiveness of law enforcement by supplying funding and resources not covered by the city budget. In 2007, Richard Fields contributed $1.5 million to the New York City Police Foundation to help new police officers reduce their college debt through a college loans reimbursement program.
Farm Aid
Farm Aid is a nonprofit philanthropy institution that organizes concerts to help spread awareness, promote agricultural products, and raise money for family farmers. The first Farm Aid concert was organized by Willie Nelson in 1985 and has since raised over $30 million. Richard Fields is a member of the Farm Aid Board.
American Quarter Horse Foundation
American Quarter Horse Youth Association is the largest youth association for single-breed horse programs and competitions for youth 18-and-under. The AQHYA develops equine programs, provides scholarships, and runs a therapeutic riding program. In 2007, The Fields Family Foundation funded the Youth Assistance Program, which provides financial support for AQHYA participants to compete in the annual AQHYA World Championship Show.
University of Rochester Medical Center
In 2007, Richard Fields donated $7.1 million to the University of Rochester Medical Center for the creation of a research and clinical center dedicated to understanding and perhaps finding a cure for facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), which is a form of muscular dystrophy. The center will be named the Fields Center after Richard Fields and will be collaboration between the URMC Department of Neurology and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands.
More about the charitable efforts of Richard Fields are available at Coastal Development.