OUR MISSION is to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Over the past three decades, Mrs. Bren Simon has been committed to supporting programs that forge strong bonds of domestic and international unity, and that transform shared values into high-impact positive action at both local and global levels.
The Melvin & Bren Simon Digestive Disease Center at UCLA
As a tireless advocate for programs that transform lives, Mrs. Bren Simon honored her late husband Melvin Simon's generous spirit with a gift to create the Melvin and Bren Simon Digestive Disease Center at UCLA. This multidisciplinary center will provide an infrastructure to develop cutting-edge treatment and support for generations of patients.
All clinical efforts and key centers for excellence of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Disease at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, will fall under the umbrella of the new center. The transformational gift has already made a difference for countless patients. The center has recruited key clinicians and physician-scientists, enhanced its translational research program and patient care enterprise as well as advanced diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to managing a variety of chronic disorders.
International Welfare Programs
Along with various national projects, Mrs. Bren Simon is dedicated to a variety of international welfare programs. Under her direction, The Melvin and Bren Simon Foundation has donated a substantial amount of resources to the National Democratic Institute, a large portion of which has been allocated to a number of groups that support women's political participation.
Each year, a percentage of that commitment is given to winners of the Madeleine K. Albright Grant. Most recently, this funding was presented to the Women's Discussion Club of Kyrgyzstan. Formed in 2006, this organization was one of the first groups in Kyrgyzstan to bring together women from diverse backgrounds and political parties to defend the rights and interests of women nationwide.
Other programs to which this support was distributed include the NDI Maghreb Youth of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow Program, The International Network of Women in Politics (iKNOW Politics), NDI Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Alliance of Women Leaders, NDI Guatemala and the Political Association of Mayan Women, and the NDI Guidebook to Women's Political Participation.
Another prolific example of Bren Simon's passion for international gender equality and political progress is the indelible impact she has made in La Romana, Dominican Republic. In 1998, Bren Simon joined the Mission International Rescue Foundation, dedicating a tremendous effort to the children and young women of La Romana, with such projects as Centro de Promocion Rural Max Simon and Bren Simon MIR Foundation Girls' Vocational School. Through these organizations, the MIR Foundation provides religious, social, education, and health services to those in this impoverished area.
“We are guided by the conviction that, for those able to provide it, such support is not a matter of generosity. It is a core responsibility.”
— Mrs. Bren Simon
National & Local Work
In addition to directing both the Melvin and Bren Simon Charitable Foundation and the Joshua Max Simon Charitable Foundation, Mrs. Bren Simon personally supports numerous local and national organizations, including The Children's Bureau, The Aspen Institute's Society of Fellows, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and numerous cultural and philanthropic programs and community wellness centers.
Also heavily engaged in domestic political programs and organizations, in 2001 Mrs. Simon founded Activate America, whose purpose is to empower individuals with the information and understanding necessary to voice concerns, address issues, and ultimately impact change through the voting process. It has been a long-term goal of Bren Simon to reach, educate, and encourage young voters to participate in the voting process.
Currently, Mrs. Simon has committed considerable resources to The Clinton School of Public Service to provide five scholarships for those individuals seeking a Master of Public Service degree, which serve to empower young individuals pursuing degrees in politics and public service.