PCRM Ceremony Dedicates New Facility to Philanthropist and Animal Advocate
The Constance Matheson Baker Residence for Responsible Medicine Will Be Used to Host Events and Lodge Visitors
WASHINGTON—The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) will honor the late Constance Matheson Baker, a noted animal welfare and public health advocate, at a dedication ceremony for the organization’s new special events and lodging facility. A monetary gift from her estate allowed PCRM to purchase the building.
The Constance Matheson Baker Residence for Responsible Medicine will be used to host special events that highlight PCRM’s work to promote preventive medicine and alternatives to animal research. The house will also provide lodging for interns, volunteers, and staff members who travel from out of town to work at PCRM’s headquarters.
“Mrs. Baker’s generous legacy is helping PCRM expand its organization and broaden its outreach to the public,” says PCRM president Neal Barnard, M.D. “PCRM’s new building is a tribute to Mrs. Baker’s lifelong commitment to protecting and caring for animal and human lives.”
The bungalow house, located a few blocks from PCRM’s office in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., was constructed in 1925. Featuring four bedrooms, a basement apartment, a front porch, and a fenced backyard, the house will provide an excellent setting for special events and visitor lodging.
Born in New York, Mrs. Baker earned a law degree in 1936 from St. John’s University, a unique achievement at that time. Later, she moved to North Carolina, where she was the assistant manager of the local office of a regional brokerage firm. In North Carolina she became actively involved in charitable causes for animals, children and the less fortunate. She helped found a county animal shelter, served as a hospital board member, and served as secretary of the North Carolina Society for Emotionally Troubled Children. In Florida, where she retired, Mrs. Baker continued her active community involvement. Mrs. Baker was a longtime supporter of PCRM who firmly believed in the organization’s mission and principles.
For an interview with Dr. Barnard or for more information about the new facility, please contact Edith Sodolo at 202-686-2210, ext. 339, or esodolo@pcrm.org.
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.
