The Honorable Roxana Cannon Arsht and S. Samuel Arsht
About the
Arsht Cannon Fund
Originally planned by the Honorable Roxana Cannon Arsht and S. Samuel Arsht, who committed their time and wealth to the state they loved, the Arsht-Cannon Fund continues their legacy of leadership and charity in perpetuity.
Adrienne Arsht
A history of Philanthropy
Created in 2004, the Arsht-Cannon Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation is advised by Adrienne Arsht, Chair of the Arsht-Cannon Fund’s Advisory Committee
Our Work is focused on...
Partnering with Delaware’s Latinx communities and the organizations that serve them to:
- Promote success and life-changing opportunities
- Increase access to culturally- and linguistically relevant programs
- Support trust, integration and empowerment
Since 2004
- $10 million+ in funding
- More than 60 nonprofits have become “Hispanic-serving”
- Programs expanded reach into Latino communities locally and statewide
- Investments in staff development to better serve the community
- Measurable collective impact
Letter from Addrienne
I am honored to chair the Arsht-Cannon Foundation Advisory committee created by the estate of my parents, The Honorable Roxana Cannon Arsht and S. Samuel Arsht. Both of my parents were children of immigrants and they learned the importance of giving back to their community and excelled in doing so. My mother, just the fifth woman to pass the Delaware Bar Exam in 1941, became the first woman to be appointed as a judge in Delaware. Dedicated to women and families, her leadership, volunteerism, and philanthropy were recognized with many awards. My father, a partner at the Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnel, was a prominent corporate attorney who chaired the committee to revise the General Corporate Law in 1967, making Delaware a more favorable place for businesses to incorporate. Both of my parents were dedicated Delawareans who wanted to continue to give back to the state they served and loved.
In 2004, the Arsht-Cannon Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation began the work that my parents directed - to “preserve, support, protect, and defend the best interests of a civil society”. By 2007, having realized the valuable contributions of our Latino communities and knowing the need for opportunities, the Governor’s Consortium on Hispanic
Affairs (now the Delaware Hispanic Commission) was created. The fund is committed to improving the quality of life for all Delawareans by increasing educational opportunities for Hispanic Delawareans. Over the last 10 years the Arsht-Cannon Fund has given over $10 million dollars in grants to non-profits supporting Latino communities throughout Delaware.
It is notable that, most of these non-profits did not exist (or did not serve Latinos) ten years ago. Most have focused on expanding their programs to serve more participants – and several have expanded to additional statewide locations. The Arsht-Cannon Fund invested in the creation, effectiveness and accessibility of these programs through quality improvements – educated, bilingual and culturally competent program staff.
So today, we strive to change the life trajectories of our Latino families through work that brings community organizations together to plan and provide educational programs targeted from birth through adulthood.
Making the world a better place is the basis for all I do. I learned these values from both my parents.
Adrienne Arsht