Thank you for sharing the arts with our community

Molly Blank was a philanthropist, an artist, a source of inspiration for her multigenerational family, and so much more. Above all, she believed in the importance of giving back and making a difference in the community—values she fostered in her sons, Michael and Arthur Blank, at an early age.

After she passed away at the age of ninety-nine in 2015, the Molly Blank Fund was established to continue supporting causes important to her. Today, the Molly Blank Fund focuses its investments on programs and organizations that support at-risk youth, Jewish causes emphasizing social justice and interfaith coalitions, and the arts and culture.

MIM is deeply grateful to the Molly Blank Fund for its generous three-year grant, which supports “A World of Musical Journeys” educational field trips and MIMkids Mini Music Makers, the museum’s early childhood music-and-movement courses designed for children aged 0–5.

“Molly lived a full life and loved to teach kids,” says Michael. “It’s nice to share that part of her with the children who visit MIM.”

The grant will allow MIM to welcome more than nineteen thousand students from Arizona’s Title I schools with high concentrations of low-income students and at-risk youth for field trips, as well as three thousand students from kindergarten through second-grade for the Artist Residency Program by the end of the 2019–2020 school year.

“The arts are often underfunded in schools today,” says Carmella Blank, Michael’s wife who also plays an active role in the family’s philanthropy. “Coming to MIM is great exposure for children to see the world and learn about music, geography, and cultural differences.”

Through their contribution to MIM, Michael and Carmella look forward to seeing the positive impact of music and the arts on young lives. Both believe strategic giving to local charitable causes results in greater and more immediate impact.

“You only pass through life once, so make it count,” Molly once said.