The Gardiner Foundation Inc.

The Gardiner Foundation was started by Dexter Gardiner in 2006 after he suffered the tragic loss of six family members in a single car accident on the Bronx River Parkway. Sadly, his mother and youngest sister also died that year, which meant he lost a total of eight family members in one year.

Through a year mired with tragedy, it was through this adversity that The Gardiner Foundation was born to help others who have suffered tragic losses in their lives.

Since the founding of the Gardiner Foundation, many other people have suffered car accidents and lost their lives on the Bronx River Parkway. Looking to minimize these occurrences, Dexter has since pushed for increased safety measures on the highway. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has since raised the barriers in each lane of the parkway thanks to his efforts.

If you’re ever riding on the Bronx River Parkway and see that the barriers raised, you’ll know it is because Dexter Gardiner refused to stay silent and decided it was time to make a change.

The Gardiner Foundation, Inc., helps families struck by tragedy by providing memorial and bereavement assistance and offering mentorship and scholarship opportunities. A few of our programs and initiatives include:

Scholarships for first-time, college-bound inner-city youth

Community support to those who have suffered tragedies through giveaways, scholarships and mentorship programs, including:

Community-building initiatives during an annual basketball tournament where we:

Annual giveaway of 350 book bags filled with school supplies

Raffles and giveaways of tablet and computers for educational purposes

Community-building initiatives during an annual basketball tournament where we:

Provide food and beverages to the entire community

Invite former and current NBA players to motivate and encourage the kids and youth on education and achieving their life goals