Our VISION
A world where the poorest children everywhere have access to an education.
Our Mission
The Bill Cook Foundation helps some of the poorest children in the world gain access to the best education possible. By providing grants that support education, we help break the cycle of poverty for children, their families and communities.
How we work
The Bill Cook Foundation supports education from basic literacy and vocational schooling through university education. In general, we fund tuition and other direct expenses for children. However, we recognize that there may also be a need for providing housing and food in some instances. The Foundation works in some of the world’s poorest countries and with the most disadvantaged children including orphans, refugees, and victims of discrimination. It supports projects where relatively small amounts of money can do great good. At present, the Foundation is seeking funds for projects for children in countries across the globe including Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Kenya, Honduras, among others. In short, the Bill Cook Foundation goes wherever there is great need. We invite you to explore our projects, and please, give generously. We operate with very little overhead and nearly every dollar you give goes directly to the children. As we are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
About Bill Cook
Bill Cook is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wabash College and received his MA and PhD at Cornell University. For 42 years, he taught medieval and Renaissance history at the State University of New York at Geneseo and retired in 2012 with the title of Distinguished Teaching Professor of History. He has won many teaching awards and is the author of 5 books and the editor of several others. Bill has directed a dozen summer seminars for high school and college teachers for the National Endowment for the Humanities. He has made ten courses, video and audio, for The Great Courses (formerly The Teaching Company). In the past 13 years, he has served as a resource more than 20 times for YPO/WPO and CEO, organizations of leaders of companies from throughout the world. He has led many programs for Friends of Florence, a charitable organization that funds the restoration of art in Tuscany. Bill has three adopted sons, and he served as guardian for eight other boys in their teen years. For 30 years, he has organized an annual fund raising banquet in his hometown of Geneseo, NY to benefit Covenant House. More about Bill is available here.
Board of Directors
Bill Cook, Geneseo, NY, Founding President
Ian MacPherson, New York, NY, Secretary
Dr. Susan Bailey, Geneseo, NY
Charlie Cardillo, San Francisco, CA
Tom Fries, Denver, CO
Travis Heider, Rochester, NY
John B. Lennes, Minneapolis, MN
Amy Lockard, Iowa
Glen McClure, Geneseo, NY
Ellen Morton, Singapore, Singapore
Christine Toretti, Indiana, PA
BOARD OF Distinguished advisors
Countess Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda, Florence, Italy
Renee Gardner, Washington, DC
Jacob German, Indianapolis, IN
Dr. Richard Gunderman, Indianapolis, IN
Father Tomas Halik, Prague, Czech Republic
Jürgen and Helena Hoffmeister, Munich and Prague and Pisek, Czech Republic
The Honorable John LaFalce, Tonawanda, NY
Thang Le, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
William Logan, Indianapolis, IN
Joseph Rossi, Albany, NY
Nick Su, Chicago, IL