History
The “ Fonds de Soutien Marguerite-Marie Delacroix”(“the Support Fund”) was formed in 1988 as a public utility institution separate from the “Fondation Marguerite-Marie Delacroix Foundation” (“The Foundation”), founded in 1950 by Mr. and Mrs. Jules Delacroix in memory of their daughter who died of scarlet fever when she was 13 years old
As the Foundation continues to manage the medical-educational institution for disabled children and adults in Tienen, welcoming more than 250 patients, the Support Fund seeks to help other institutions in Belgium which are active in the same field, and also to promote research in the field of disability prevention.
The statutes of the Support Fund provide that its purpose
is “to provide material support, through loans, contributions or other means whatsoever, to institutions, associations, foundations, corporations or public bodies which seek, among others, to provide to children and adults, whether handicapped or not, the care which their physical or mental condition require.
The Support Fund can also promote and fund research programs or actions to prevent the genetic, accidental or social origin of
disabilities and, in particular, to provide research grants”
The Support Fund supports therefore other institutions under various forms, namely, scholarships,gifts, loans at advantageous rates, rental of buildings with lower rents, etc.
The Support Fund is a foundation of public utility and is managed by a board of directors composed of the descendants of the founders.
The Board is assisted and advised in its work by a scientific adviser, Professor Rudy Van Coster.
In addition, the Support Fund has convened a Scientific Advisory Board composed of ten university professors from different disciplines from all Belgian universities. The Scientific Council meets twice a year under the chairmanship of Professor Rudy Van Coster , in order to review research grant applications to the Support Fund and to provide the Board with its recommendations
in this respect.
