Reed Erickson - The Erickson Educational Foundation (EEF)

The Erickson Educational Foundation (EEF)

Erickson Educational Foundation grants supported the work of New Age Movement, acupuncture, homeopathy, dream research, and dolphin communication studies. However, the main centre of Erickson's attention through the EEF was transsexualism.

The EEF helped to support, both through direct financial contributions and through contributions of human and material resources, almost every aspect of work being done in the 1960s and 1970s in the field of transsexualism in the US and, to a lesser degree, in other countries. The EEF funded many early research efforts, including the creation of the Harry Benjamin Foundation, the early work of the Johns Hopkins Clinic and numerous other important research projects. It developed and maintained an extensive referral list of service providers throughout the US and in several other locales. During the years 1964 -1970 and 1972 - 1975 alone, the EEF donated approximately US$250,000 to the support of projects about transsexualism. In particular, the Harry Benjamin Foundation received over US$60,000 during 1964 - 1968 and the Johns Hopkins Gender Identity Clinic received approximately US$72,000 during the formative years of 1967 - 1973.

In addition to philanthropy, the Erickson Educational Foundation also functioned as an information and counseling resource for transsexuals, creating a referral network of physicians and psychologists. It published educational pamphlets for transsexuals and their families—work that was continued by the Janus Information Facility after Erickson's death—and conducted outreach to medical professionals, clergy, law enforcement personnel, and academics. Sociologist Aaron Devor has written extensively on Erickson and his influence via EEF and ONE Inc.