In the year 2000, Tzivos Hashem initiated the Joseph Papp Children’s Humanitarian Fund in support of its programs that enhance the care and welfare of children in the CIS.
Brooklyn-born Joseph Papp (1921-1991) is as fondly remembered for his creative talents, which forever revolutionized the Broadway theatre, as he is admired for actively pursuing good deeds, especially when the well-being of children was concerned.

During Joe’s trips to Russia, he saw firsthand the desperate conditions facing the handicapped, orphaned, and neglected children in the former Soviet Union. It was then that he dedicated himself to do whatever he could to better the lives of these children, who had been caught in the midst of economic and political turmoil.

Tzivos Hashem, with Gail Papp’s blessing, is continuing Joe’s work. Thanks to the successful Joseph Papp Children’s Humanitarian Fund annual dinner, sponsored by Tzivos Hashem, the lives of thousands of homeless, deprived, and starving children in the CIS have been touched. The active participation of major Hollywood and Broadway personalities such as Meryl Streep and James Earl Jones has contributed megawatts of positive star-power to help support:

• The Esther and William Benenson and Family Children’s Homes that shelter orphaned and homeless children.
• The Marcia Wilf and Ira Yavarkovsky Children’s Medical Center, which offers critical medical care free of charge.
• The Joseph Papp Food Pantry that provides sustenance for over 800 people each week.
• The Wheels for Life bus that offers Ukrainian street children food, counseling, and a second chance at life.

Through the Joseph Papp Children’s Humanitarian Fund, Joe’s legacy - his willingness to take risks for worthwhile causes - lives on.