| Alan Shawn Feinstein |
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| feinstein, alan | |
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| 1932 births | |
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Alan Shawn Feinstein is a prominent Rhode Island Philanthropist and humanitarian particularly dedicated to combating Hunger and promoting Education .1 Feinstein was born in Milton, Massachusetts in 1932. He received his teaching degree from Boston University and then taught elementary and junior high school in various schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island . Following a private audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej , Feinstein moved to Thailand to found an English-language school. It was during this period that Feinstein met his wife Prataporn, a Psychiatrist and native of Bangkok . The couple eventually settled in Cranston, Rhode Island , and continued living in the same seven-room ranch house even after they became wealthy. In 1974, Feinstein used $500 in savings to start a financial advisory newsletter. His newsletters, ''Insider's Report'' and ''Eye to the Future'' eventually had approximately half a million subscribers. Feinstein also started a newspaper column which was widely syndicated, and he would author several books of financial advice. He also found time to write a novel and several children's books. In 1984, Milton Pierce published a book based on Feinstein's financial advice, ''The Four Treasures of Alan Shawn Feinstein''. A great deal of Feinstein's wealth comes from having sold "collectibles" whose value is sometimes disputed, which he promoted through his newsletter. With his fortune, Feinstein founded the Alan Shawn Feinstein Foundation in 1991, and since 1996, he has dedicated himself to philanthropy full time. He always insists that he be named prominently as the donor, and numerous buildings in the state carry his name. Feinstein has been very involved in efforts to promote Community Service among students. In 1996, he gave $1 million each to Johnson And Wales University , the New England Institute Of Technology , Salve Regina University , the University Of Rhode Island , the Rhode Island College School of Education, and Roger Williams University to found the Feinstein Enriching American Program, which requires all students to complete a community service project to graduate. He was heavily involved in founding the first high school with community service as its central focus, the Feinstein High School in Providence , named in his honor. At the postsecondary level, he was instrumental in creating the Feinstein Institute at Providence College which is the first undergraduate degree program in community service. He gave a $500,000 grant to establish a joint doctoral program in community service between the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. In addition, Roger Williams University School Of Law introduces students to public service through a curriculum that sets the stage for a lifetime commitment to law related community service. This mission is realized through the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service, established by a generous grant from the Feinstein Foundation.2 Feinstein's major area of focus for community service has been hunger. Every year since 1996, he has put up $1 million of his own money and issued his "Feinstein Challenge", a massive fundraising campaign involving food banks across the country. The Feinstein Challenges raised approximately half a billion dollars for hunger fighting agencies in their first decade. He has also given money to over 200 houses of worship around the country to use as start-up funds for food banks. Feinstein collaborated with Brown University to found the Alan Shawn Feinstein World Hunger Program, a university research and teaching center dedicated exclusively to studying the causes of and possible solutions to hunger worldwide. In 2000, he entered into an agreement with J. Larry Brown to give $3 million to found a similar center at Tufts University . A dispute between Brown and Feinstein developed when Brown attempted to move the center to Brandeis - Feinstein delayed his payments and sued Brown. By 2006, approximately 95% of Rhode Island school children were involved in a program initiated by Feinstein to use schoolkids to raise money for combatting hunger. Feinstein had used part of his fortune to purchase the famous contract whereby the Boston Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees , thus initiating the famous " Curse Of The Bambino ". In 2004, Feinstein auctioned off this contract, giving the proceeds (almost $1 million) to a local food bank. Feinstein is the honorary chairman of the World Scholar Athlete Games and gave $1 million to construct their Hall of Fame. Feinstein has received a number of awards for his philanthropy, including the Distinguished Services Award from the American History Society ; the Longfellow Humanitarian Award from the American Red Cross ; and was named Rhode Island Citizen of the Year by the March Of Dimes . He was awarded the President's Medal at both Rhode Island College and Brown. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by Providence College, Salve Regina University, Johnson and Wales University, Roger Williams University, Rhode Island College, the University of Rhode Island and the New England Institute of Technology. Alan and Prataporn Feinstein have three children, Ari, Ricky, and Leila, and several grandchildren. BOOKS BY ALAN FEINSTEIN
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