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When Carla Dowben passed away in January 2024 at age 91, she left behind more than memories—she left a lasting commitment to help others. A trailblazer who graduated from the University of Chicago before becoming the only female in her Temple University Law School class of 1955, Carla spent her career fighting for those without a voice: women, individuals with mental and physical challenges, and marginalized communities. From helping to write Massachusetts patient rights codes to her work in health law and compliance, she was a determined advocate for civil liberties and access to care for all.

After retiring to Rhode Island in the early 1990s, Carla and her late husband Robert, a Brown University professor, found a community that resonated with their values. "Rhode Island is a very welcoming state in many ways, and they felt a kinship," her daughter Susan explains. For over 25 years, Carla was deeply involved in Rhode Island life, from the Women of Brown to the Providence Pension Board, developing what Susan describes as "a huge coterie of wonderful friends." A lover of flowers and nature, Carla transformed her front yard into a flourishing garden that drew RISD watercolor students to paint what Carla dubbed her "Little Monet."

True to her longstanding belief that "charity begins at home," Carla focused her philanthropy on her own backyard. She supported the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the Good Neighbor Fund, local public television, education in all forms, and in her later years, refugee and immigrant communities. During his lifetime, Robert was supportive of his wife’s philanthropic endeavors, and following his passing in 2019, Carla established a trust to create a donor advised fund at the Rhode Island Foundation—the Dowben Family Fund—with her children Susan and Jonathan as advisors.

"She always fought for the underdog," Susan recalls. "She always had a desire to help those who did not have a voice or a platform from which to speak. This was the opportunity to do more—to give enough for organizations to do something meaningful."

The Rhode Island Foundation's mission aligned perfectly with Carla's commitment to helping those most in need. Notes Jonathan, "The Foundation is very good at vetting the groups it works with," echoing his parents' longtime concern that assistance reaches those who need it.

Through the Dowben Family Fund, Susan and Jonathan continue their mother's work in the community she loved, supporting education, healthcare, basic human needs, and civil liberties, and ensuring the voices she spent a lifetime championing continue to be heard.