The Abundance Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Berkeley, California.¹ Abundance Foundation makes grants to and partners with organizations that focus on health outcomes, the arts, public education, and the environment.² The Abundance Foundation is headed by Stephen Kahn, a graduate of the Harvard School of Medicine³ and is a grantee of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation⁴ and the Out of Eden Learn program.⁵ It has also served a key role in the Clinton Foundation’s Rwanda Human Resources Health Program.⁶ The Abundance Foundation has made grants to the Clinton Foundation,⁷ the Oakland Public School District,⁸ and the International Planned Parenthood Foundation.⁹

History

Stephen Kahn founded the Abundance Foundation in 2004.¹⁰ The Abundance Foundation, along with the Harvard Medical School and the Partners of Health, assisted the Clinton Foundation in supporting medical programs in Haiti, Liberia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone.¹¹ For example, in 2010 the Abundance Foundation committed $1 million to the Clinton Global Initiative to assist the health systems in Rwanda and Haiti.¹² In 2011 the Abundance Foundation also assisted the Clinton Global Initiative Commitment by participating in the Family Medicine Residency and Nurse Training Program in Haiti, in conjunction with the Harvard Medical School, to staff a major hospital in Haiti after an outbreak of cholera in the southern region. In 2012 the Abundance Foundation was honored by the Clinton Foundation for the efforts in the Rwanda Human Resources for Health program. Dr. Corrado Cancedda, an affiliate of the Abundance Foundation, was honored by the Clinton Foundation for his efforts in assisting the Rwandan Ministry of Health.¹³ In 2015, the Abundance Foundation increased its role in the “Out of Eden Learn” program with the Clinton Foundation by increasing their involvement and funding.¹⁴ In 2015, the Washington Post listed the Abundance Foundation as a donor to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation for an amount between $100,001 and $250,000.¹⁵

People

Berit Ashla, one of the board members of the Abundance Foundation, is a Vice President of the Rockfeller Philanthropy Advisors¹⁶ and also has a history with the liberal donor-advised fund Tides Foundation. Berit Ashla, while working for the Tides Foundation donated to than Senator Obama’s campaign in 2007 while residing in Berkeley California.¹⁷

Stephen Kahn is on the advisory board for the Global Health Delivery Project (GHD) at Harvard University.¹⁸ GHD is a collaboration between Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. In 2017, the Out of Eden Learn Program, funded in part by the GHD and the Abundance Foundation, held a rally with Michael Bloomberg where he spoke about the importance of educating young students to fight supposed intolerance found in public discourse.¹⁹

Programs

The Out of Eden Learn Program connects students from all over the world through a digital platform to foster cross-cultural interaction. The program is an effort of the now defunct Clinton Global Initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Global Health Delivery Project to “cultivate the next generation of global citizens.”²⁰ The Out of Eden Learn Program seeks to prepare young students to work collaboratively to address environmental issues, public health crises, and certain forms of extremism. The virtual platform also seeks to connect students from across the world that may have negative perceptions of each other.²¹

The Abundance Foundation has also participated in the discussion of government-controlled healthcare systems. In 2014, the Abundance Foundation was part of OMICS group international Socialized Medicine Conferences that “gives information on universal healthcare system(s).²² In 2012, Dr. Stephen Kahn, along with the National Conference on Social Medicine in Haiti also associated with the Socialized Medicine Conferences, engaged in “dialogue on the role of social medicine in health equity and improved access.”²³

1. “ABUNDANCE FOUNDATION.” CitizenAudit.org – ABUNDANCE FOUNDATION. Accessed June 23, 2017. https://www.citizenaudit.org/organization/201390469/ABUNDANCE FOUNDATION/.
2. “The Board of Directors.” Global Pediatric Alliance. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.globalpediatricalliance.org/board.
3. “The Board of Directors.” Global Pediatric Alliance. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.globalpediatricalliance.org/board.
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5. “President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton Open CGI’s 2015 Annual Meeting Focused on.” Clinton Foundation. September 27, 2015. Accessed June 23, 2017. https://www.clintonfoundation.org/press-releases/president-bill-clinton-and-chelsea-clinton-open-cgis-2015-annual-meeting-focused-0.
6. Abundance Foundation. “Chief Abundance Partner honored by President Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative for his role in the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program.” Cision PR Newswire. September 25, 2012. Accessed June 22, 2017. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chief-abundance-partner-honored-by-president-clinton-at-the-clinton-global-initiative-for-his-role-in-the-rwanda-human-resources-for-health-program-171251331.html.
7. “A vast network for donors.” The Washington Post. Accessed June 23, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/clinton-foundation-donor-list/.
8. Wilson, Antwan. “Grant Award Acceptance – Abundance Foundation – Oakland International High School .” Oakland Unified School District. September 28, 2016. Accessed June 22, 2017. http://legistar.granicus.com/daystar.legistar6.sdk.ws/View.ashx?M=F&GovernmentGUID=OUSD&LogicalFileName=83076.pdf&F
9. “Financial Statement 2014.” International Planned Parenthood Foundation. 2014. Accessed June 22, 2017. http://www.ippf.org/sites/default/files/financialreport_2014-2015.pdf.
10. “Abundance Foundation.” Berkeley. Accessed July 11, 2017. https://bestbusinessca.com/company/C2626480/abundance-foundation.html.
11. June 26, 2017. “Abundance Project for Global Health.” Clinton Foundation. December 22, 2016. Accessed July 11, 2017. https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/commitments/abundance-project-global-health.
12. “News.” Medical Leaders Launch Abundance Project for Global Health | Department of. October 28, 2010. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://ghsm.hms.harvard.edu/news/medical-leaders-launch-abundance-project-for-global-health.
13. “Abundance Project for Global Health Reflects on Successes and Announces Plans for the Future at the 2016 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.” Abundance Foundation. September 20, 2016. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.abundance.org/abundance-project-for-global-health-reflects-on-successes-and-announces-plans-for-the-future-at-the-2016-clinton-global-initiative-annual-meeting/. June 23, 2017.
14. “Out of Eden Learn – Journeys to Global Understanding.” Clinton Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2017. https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/commitments/out-eden-learn-journeys-global-understanding.
15. “A vast network for donors.” The Washington Post. Accessed June 23, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/clinton-foundation-donor-list/.
16. “Berit Ashla.” Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.rockpa.org/team/berit-ashla/.
17. Obama Donor List | Donor List of Obama Campaign. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://obamasdonorlist.com/list/donors/index/page:1463/sort:Occupation/direction:asc.
18. “The Global Health Delivery Project.” Advisory Committee. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.globalhealthdelivery.org/about/team/advisory-committee.
19. April 26, 2017 · by Liz Dawes Duraisingh · in Uncategorized · Leave a comment. “Introducing an Ally in International Digital Exchange: Global Cities, Inc.” Out of Eden Learn Blog. April 26, 2017. Accessed June 23, 2017. https://walktolearn.outofedenwalk.com/2017/04/26/introducing-an-ally-in-international-digital-exchange-global-cities-inc/.
20. “Global Cities, Inc. Joins with Out of Eden Learn to Cultivate the Next Generation of Global Citizens.” Harvard Graduate School of Education. April 26, 2017. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/17/04/global-cities-inc-joins-out-eden-learn-cultivate-next-generation-global-citizens.
21. Duraisingh, Liz Dawes, Carrie James, Shari Tishman, Susie Blair, Emi Kane, Aly Kreikemeier, and Sarah Sheya. “OUT OF EDEN LEARN: AN INNOVATIVE MODEL FOR PROMOTING CROSS- CULTURAL INQUIRY AND EXCHANGE.” Out of Eden Learn Program – Harvard University. May 2016. Accessed July 11, 2017. http://www.pz.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/Out%20of%20Eden%20Learn%20white%20paper%20May%202016%20%28with%20links%29%281%29.pdf.
22. “Socialized Medicine Conferences.” OMICS International Conferences. September 03, 2014. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.nationalsymposium.com/socialized-medicine.php.
23. “National Conference on Social Medicine in Haiti.” Abundance Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2017. http://www.abundance.org/health/socialmedconf/.