That original bottle of salad dressing that Paul Newman and his longtime buddy A.E. Hotchner concocted in his basement has had what Paul called “a heck of a ride.”
History
That original bottle of salad dressing that Paul Newman concocted in his basement has had, what Paul called, “a heck of a ride.”
What started as holiday gifts for neighbors has grown into Newman’s Own, Inc., a highly-respected, multi-million dollar a year food business. By insisting on no preservatives and all-natural products, Paul demonstrated foresight by encouraging the food industry to embrace a new and healthier way to produce food.
He also brought new meaning to the terms social entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and, in so doing, infused new ideas into the business sector by leading the way with his innovative Newman’s Own model.
In business just to give it all to charity? You bet!
From the very beginning, every penny Paul earned from the sale of Newman’s Own products was donated to thousands of charities around the world - a sum totaling over $295 million as of June 2010 and growing. Newman’s Own Foundation is committed to continuing Paul’s philanthropic legacy for generations to come.
Who knew that a bottle of salad dressing could, in turn, forever change the lives of thousands in need around the world. That’s mighty potent (and tasty!) stuff.
View Tribute Video
Christmas 1980: Paul entices his longtime buddy A. E. Hotchner to accompany him in his basement, where they fill an endless collection of empty wine bottles with Newman’s homemade salad dressing to be given as presents to Newman’s friends and neighbors. They come back and ask for more!
September 1982: Newman’s Own Salad Dressing is officially launched, with astounding first-year profits and royalties of $396,674. Paul immediately declares: “Let’s give it all away to those who need it.”
1984: Newman’s Own, Inc. has sold 18,705,555 bottles of salad dressing and 8,371,726 jars of spaghetti sauce. The profits and royalties to date total over $2 million, every penny of which has been given to deserving charities.
September 1986: Paul Newman envisions a place for children with life-threatening conditions and says, “I want to acknowledge luck; the chance and benevolence of it in my life, and the brutality of it in the lives of others, who might not be allowed the good fortune of a lifetime to correct it.” December 20, 1986, ground is broken for the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut.
June 29, 1988: The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp officially opens in Ashford, Connecticut. Among its guiding principles is that no child will be charged a fee to attend, regardless of ability to pay. All capital and operating costs are to be raised philanthropically.
March 1994: Newman receives his second honorary Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, for donating more than $56 million to charity and for his commitment to philanthropy. Soon after he receives this honor, Paul makes the decision to never accept future awards for his charitable work. He was personally reluctant to acknowledge that his charity was anything special and true to his character, he burned his tuxedo in a roaring front-yard ceremonial bonfire.
June 1994: With three Camps in operation in the United States, the first Hole in the Wall Camp outside the country, Barretstown, is opened in Ireland to serve children from throughout Europe.
April 1995: Supporting USA Weekend’s “Make a Difference Day,” the annual community service event participated in by over one million people, Newman pledges $100,000 to the top fifty honorable mention winners on behalf of their volunteer efforts.
June 1997: Newman’s Own, Inc. products now distributed internationally to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Iceland, and Brazil, with factories in England and Australia.
Winter 1999: Paul helps found Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy to encourage the business community to raise the level and quality of their corporate giving.
September 2000: The Newman’s Own Award was created to recognize outstanding organizations that improve the lives of military members and their families. The award is presented each year at the Pentagon.
June 2001: Paul Newman and Ford Motor Company partner with Feeding America to fight hunger in rural America. Together they donate fourteen trucks (filled with Newman’s Own products) to rural food banks. An ongoing partnership to fight hunger is born.
2005: Newman’s Own Foundation is created to carry on Paul’s philanthropic legacy for generations to come.
Fall 2005: Newman’s Own Foundation responds to recent natural disasters, donating $1 million to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts through local community foundations and $1 million to the South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund’s relief and reconstruction work in Pakistan.
2007: Paul joins with business leaders to form Safe Water Network, an organization that funds the development of innovative approaches to bring safe water to the world’s poor.
April 2009: Cash giving from Paul Newman and Newman’s Own Foundation totals over $265 million to date supporting people in need around the world.
Summer 2009: Over 17,000 children will enjoy a camp experience at one of the eleven member Hole in the Wall Camps around the world or an affiliated program in Africa or South East Asia. And through the Hole in the Wall Hospital Outreach Program, more than 10,000 children will enjoy the magic of camp without leaving the hospital.
The Future: The commitment to grow Paul’s philanthropic legacy continues through Newman’s Own Foundation and Newman’s Own, Inc.
