Dorothy M. Hamilton and Fred Hamilton resided in New York State throughout their entire adult lives. Dorothy’s earliest career was as a dancer. She was coached by impresario, Ned Wayburn and recounted that her initial professional opportunity was as Ado Annie, in with the first production of Oklahoma. Dorothy suspended her dancing career when she met Fred.

After they were married, Fred worked as an advertising manager for a billboard company. Dorothy became licensed as an antiques dealer in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. She established an antiques dealership company called “Ad-Tiques”. This company was advertised in many of the trade magazines in the 1960’s and 70's.

Being childless, Dorothy and Fred lavished their attention on animals, especially cats. Fred rescued a cat and named him Heathcliff. This cat was the love of their lives. Dorothy and Fred’s married life was harmonious and happy.

Upon Fred’s death in 1981, Dorothy began a new chapter in her life. She terminated the antiques dealership business and returned to ballroom dancing. She also began thinking about leaving a legacy in both her, and her husband's name.

In the communities where Dorothy and Fred lived, they witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by poor families with small children. Dorothy never forgot how limited the options were for those families and wanted to find a way to help. She recognized the importance and role of tax-exempt, charitable organizations and decided that the most practical way to achieve her goals of helping children and animals would be by establishing a private foundation.

The Dorothy M. & Fred Hamilton Foundation was established in 2011. The Foundation provides fiscal support to domestic tax-exempt, charitable, organizations that are seeking to improve the lives of infants, small children, and animals. Dorothy died in April, 2014, leaving much of her estate to the Foundation, which became fully funded and functioning in 2015.