With the widest grin and ever-twinkle in his eyes, Gene Applebaum was an inspiration. His extraordinary leadership skills and one-of-a-kind blend of passion and compassion enriched people’s lives. Above all, he showed us how to work hard, reach our potential, and be our very best. His example serves as the model which defines the values and drives the actions of Applebaum Family Philanthropy.
Applebaum Family Philanthropy is committed not only to honoring Gene’s legacy, but to making deep and enduring imprints with the organizations and efforts that defined his philanthropic life.
This is evidenced by the hands-on engagement and partnership of Applebaum Family Philanthropy’s Legacy in Action.
At a young age, Eugene made the commitment that if and when he became successful, he would share his achievements to benefit others.
Representatives of Applebaum Family Philanthropy also serve on the Applebaum College Dean’s Advisory Council, volunteering expertise to advance the key strategic initiatives of the Applebaum College
Gene firmly believed that Detroit’s strength pivoted on the vitality of his alma mater, Wayne State. He demonstrated this commitment through leading Wayne State’s first ever major campaign and in the funding of the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
With the Applebaum Leadership Development (ALDP), Applebaum Family Philanthropy is empowering student success and career development. Offered to eight aspiring WSU Applebaum PharmD students who embody an entrepreneurial spirit and passion to advance community ambulatory pharmacy practice in Detroit, ALDP provides hands-on leadership development and education to prepare students to serve as the next generation of leaders in community pharmacy.
Gene dedicated much of his philanthropic life to the advancement of medical research in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and neurodevelopment disorders. While the prevailing focus was forwarding scientific innovation, the essence of his commitment was investing in the very people who embodied leadership in the field.
Furthering this vision, Applebaum Family Philanthropy established the Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Fellowship, providing critical support to maximize the talent and potential of future leaders dedicated to the field of MS and MS research.
In 2006, Gene and Marcia funded and established the Marcia and Eugene Applebaum Simulation Learning Institute (SLI).
Designed to change the way health care professionals learn and train, SLI was created as a system-wide resource to teach trainees, students, residents, nurses, and surgical technicians the best care practices and cutting-edge techniques and innovations.
To help ensure the Marcia and Eugene Applebaum Simulation Learning Institute continues to be “state-of-the art,” Applebaum Family Philanthropy continues to invest philanthropically to help upgrade equipment and technology and increase staffing.
Pamela Applebaum serves on the Marcia and Eugene Applebaum Simulation Learning Institute Advisory Board, providing valuable leadership and entrepreneurial insight.
The health and medical research field held a special place in our dad’s heart.
Gene always had a strong affinity for the City of Detroit.
Receiving a scholarship as a young boy to attend Tamarack Camps changed Gene Applebaum’s life, giving him his first real sense of independence and created a camaraderie that became a theme throughout his life and career.
In the late 1990’s, Gene funded the creation of Tamarack Applebaum Village, the summer home for boys entering second and third grade.
In 2015, he provided financial support to reconstruct and modernize Applebaum Village and established a scholarship endowment for young boys to attend camp.
During the Second Intifada, Gene was among the leading donors in the creation of the Israel Camper program, which provides the opportunity for Israeli teens to attend Tamarack each summer.
Applebaum Family Philanthropy continues to support and engage with Tamarack, including supporting the Israel Camper Program, providing seed funding for innovative programs through the Applebaum Family Compass Fund, and celebrating Shabbat at camp as a family each summer.
Gene spent his life mentoring and investing in people. He took every opportunity to encourage and motivate others to explore their passions and strengthen their connection to a greater good. The Applebaum Fellows Program, the centerpiece of Applebaum Family Philanthropy in action, was formalized to carry forward his core vision of mentorship and inspiration.
Providing opportunities for young people to inspire entrepreneurship, independence and leadership, the Applebaum Fellows Program mobilizes the next generation to reach a greater personal and community potential.
What meant the most to our father during his lifetime of philanthropy was helping to change people’s lives. As he did with the utmost enthusiasm and care, our commitment is to continue to touch and change people’s lives through Applebaum Family Philanthropy and the Applebaum Fellows Program.
Detroit, 1936 Eugene Applebaum was born in November 1936, in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up on Broadstreet, where Jewish stores lined the streets—grocers, butchers, bakers, synagogues and Jewish schools. A majority of the community was comprised of Jewish immigrants, many of whom owned a small business. While the neighborhood was not wealthy in the usual […]
A connection that began in the Russell Woods area of northwest Detroit when both were pupils at Winterhalter Elementary School, the relationship between Eugene Applebaum and David Hermelin transcended friendship, business, and philanthropy. Gene and David’s bond was inextricably woven in each other’s hearts. Gene reminisced on their unique friendship: “We played in the sandbox, […]
Decision to go to Pharmacy School After Eugene graduated from Detroit’s Central High School, he attended Wayne State University along with many of his high school classmates. When he started college, Gene had hopes of becoming a lawyer. His parents swayed him from that idea because in those days it was not easy for a Jew […]
Beyond the teachings and examples of his parents, several seminal events shaped the leadership and philanthropic mind of Eugene Applebaum. A Pivotal Moment One day in 1947, Gene was riding down Woodward Avenue with his mother and noticed Aaron Deroy’s name on the Jewish Community Center. He asked his mother, “Why is his name on […]
Eugene’s parents, Joseph and Minnie Applebaum, both came to the United States from small Eastern European communities. Joseph Applebaum Joseph Applebaum grew up in Zhitomir, a famous Jewish settlement in Russia, and migrated to the U.S. before his bar mitzvah. If not for his family in Detroit, he would have made Aliyah and moved to […]
As loyal, longtime benefactors of the Mayo Clinic, Eugene and Marcia Applebaum have helped the organization become one of the leading neuroscience research centers in the country. Transformative Fund for Health Research “Individuals and their families want to know that there is hope around the corner,” Gene said. To establish this hope, in 2005, the […]
