THE ELSTER FORBES FOUNDATION
At The Elster Forbes Foundation our family is working to improve the lives of those around us. Founding members Allen Elster, Jeanine Elster, and Patricia Forbes, together with their children and grandchildren, have long supported a wide range of charitable, educational, and scientific endeavors. Our ultimate goal is to make a measurable difference in the lives of others, especially those with mental illness.
The Elster Forbes Foundation has been designated as tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3).
WHAT WE DO
MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES
Having personally experienced the pain mental illness inflicts on families, co-founder and matriarch Patricia Forbes has long supported mental health support groups such as NAMI. About 1 in 5 adults in the US — 43.8 million — experiences mental illness in a given year. Mental disorders manifest in myriad ways, including bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, alcohol/substance abuse, anxiety, eating disorders, and dementias. Our family experience is why the Elster Forbes Foundation is so strongly focused in this dimension.
BRAIN RESEARCH
Co-founder Allen D. Elster MD is a Professor of Neuroradiology and has devoted his life to studying the brain. He understands that abnormalities in brain structure and chemistry underlie that vast majority of mental disorders including schizophrenia, depression, and dementia. Supporting basic and clinical research to understand these problems is thus an important goal of the Foundation.
ADVOCACY
Co-founder Jeanine J. Elster is an educator and former guardian ad litem for children. She understands how mental illness affects society — for example, that 20-25% of prisoners and persons in homeless shelters are mentally ill. She leads the Elster Forbes Foundation in advocacy outreach in the fields of education and support for the civil and legal rights of the mentally ill.
MANY OTHER PROJECTS!
Notwithstanding its strong focus on mental illness, the Elster Forbes Foundation supports many charitable organizations in our community and nation — including those that provide disaster aid, protect the homeless, feed the hungry, and improve the welfare of children and animals. We intend to offer grants to local organizations with a proven track record of effective community service.
FACTS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS
Mental Illness is a real problem in our nation. Click on the slideshow "infomational" images to find out more about how it affects all our lives.
“EVERYTHING THAT IS DONE IN THE WORLD IS DONE BY HOPE”
Martin Luther
CONTACT THE ELSTER FORBES FOUNDATION
320 Meadowbrook CC Estates
Ballwin, MO 63011
Office: (636)-220-6120
PUBLIC FILINGS
The Elster Forbes Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, adheres to all federal requirements outlined in IRS Publication 4221-PF for private foundations, including record keeping, reporting, conflict of interest policies, and disclosure. Their tax filings and public documents are available for download:
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2018 Form 1023 (application for tax-exempt status)
These files are secured to prevent misuse by automated bots. The foundation maintains transparency by providing access to their filings, demonstrating compliance with regulations for nonprofit organizations.