Crohn's & Colitis Foundation

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation (The Foundation) is a volunteer fueled non-profit organization in the US that works to fund research to find cures for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these digestive diseases. Founded by Shelby and William Modell, Suzanne and Irwin Rosenthal, and Dr. Henry Janowitz, it was launched publicly on September 12, 1967, as the National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis. (The Foundation was later renamed the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America and is now the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.) It was incorporated on December 17, 1965. The Foundation serves millions of patients diagnosed with IBD in the U.S., through its national headquarters in NYC, and more than 30 chapters nationwide.

Research, educational workshops, as well as symposia, along with the Foundation's scientific journal, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, enable medical professionals to keep pace with this rapidly growing field. The National Institutes of Health has commended the Foundation for "uniting the research community and strengthening IBD research". The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to mission-critical programs, with at least 80 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends going toward medical research, professional education, and patient support.