Planned giving

Robert Lane

Author, professor, and activist Robert Lane passed away at the end of 2017, at age 100. He had been living with his wife, Helen, in a retirement community in Hamden, Connecticut, while continuing to be active in causes he cared about. Bob and Helen were long-time CIP donors, dating back to 1991, and his life's work reflected his commitment to CIP's values of peace, justice, and environmental sustainability. As a Harvard undergraduate in the late 1930s, Bob led a grassroots movement to bring student refugees from Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia to study in the U.S., first at Harvard and then at universities across the country. Hundreds of students from central Europe benefited from his leadership of the Intercollegiate Conference to Aid Student Refugees, and this commitment to protecting refugees as a key part of U.S. foreign policy is something CIP continues to uphold today. Bob also served as President of the Harvard Student Union, organizing the first union for waiters and busboys in the dining halls, and would do more labor organizing after college. He was a World War II veteran, and after earning his PhD. at Harvard, he joined the Political Science department at Yale, ultimately teaching there for almost 50 years. Bob was a pioneer in the field of behavioral politics, examining ideology, markets, materialism, and happiness, as he sought to bring the methodology and insight of psychology to the field of political science. He authored numerous books and articles over his career, and after retiring, took up environmental causes. With a group of residents at his retirement community, he founded Gray Is Green, a nationwide organization to bring together people 65 and older around environmental conservation. Because of Bob's legacy gift, CIP will be able to continue carrying out the work-- from protecting refugees to preventing deforestation and climate change-- that he devoted his life to.

Sidney Hollander Jr.

Sidney Hollander was a pioneer in market and political research, and a leader in the civil rights movements. He worked with developer James W. Rouse in building Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore, and he conducted election polls for newspapers and political candidates throughout his career. He received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Haverford College and then studied at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the University of Chicago. In 1959, Mr. Hollander helped form Baltimore Neighborhoods Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes justice in housing for all people by combating housing discrimination. He later received the Elizabeth Gilman Award from the Maryland Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. He remained a great social activist throughout his life.Mr. Hollander was a generous donor to the Center for International Policy dating back to 1992. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 100.

Edith B. Wilkie Edwards

Edie Wilkie promoted world peace in both her personal and professional lives, working as an arms control activist and congressional staff member. From 1978 - 1995, she was the director of the bipartisan and influential Congressional Arms Control and Foreign Policy Caucus. Previously she worked as the Chief of Staff for Rep. Pete Stark and Rep. Ogden R. Reid. After her retirement from Capitol Hill in 1995, she remained active at the Center for International Policy. She worked to put an end to the development of new nuclear weapons, end funding for proxy wars in Central America, and gain support for the United Nations to strengthen human rights across the world. Ms. Wilkie was a devoted donor to the Center for International Policy as well as an active board member. She passed away in 2011 at the age of 64.

Vincent M. Gulisano

Vincent M. Gulisano, born in New Haven, Connecticut, on October 12, 1944, passed away at the age of 70 on January 9, 2015. After receiving his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut, he joined the Peace Corps and spent two years teaching math and science in Nigeria. Upon returning from the Peace Corps, Mr. Gulisano taught math at Hamden High School. Soon after, he changed careers to start work as a programmer, analyst and systems manager at Haskins Laboratories, a research institute focused on the biological basis of speech and language. Among his many interests were chess, swing dancing, tennis, and international travel, including to Peru and countries throughout Africa.

Jan Spielman DeBeers and John DeBeers

an Spielman DeBeers, born in 1923, was a world traveler who served at the United States Information Service and married economist John DeBeers. Throughout her life she traveled around the world, meeting her first husband in Pakistan. After graduating from UCLA, she worked in advertising, promoting the magazine “Charm: the Magazine for the Business Girl.” Mrs. DeBeers later took a job at the United States Information Service, part of the State Department. John DeBeers, better known as Jack, was an economist who specialized in Latin American development. He held a B.A. from Cornell and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago. When he married his first wife, Marianna Hill, he joined the Society of Friends (Quakers) and for the rest of his life devoted himself to Quaker principles. Until his retirement in 1979, he worked at a new Inter-American Development Bank, where he focused on Latin American economic development projects. After the death of his first wife, he married Jan Spielman and later moved into a Quaker retirement community in Santa Rosa, California, where he lived until his death in 2009. Jan and John DeBeers were faithful donors to the Center for International Policy dating back to 1991.