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The Southampton Press – July 24, 2025

Group Seeks To Support Responders

Foundation formed to raise funds for police and public safety needs

BY CAITLIN RILEY

In the nearly two decades that Annie Falk has served on the board of the Palm Beach Police & Fire Foundation, she says she has witnessed the community there transform in many positive and meaningful ways, thanks to the work of the foundation, which was created to help support the area’s first responders and their families and forge ties between members of those departments and the community they serve.

Now, she is hoping to replicate that work in Southampton.

Earlier this year, Falk founded the Southampton Public Safety Foundation with the goal of raising funds to support first responders in the community, from helping to pay for continuing education and providing tuition assistance for their children, to helping fund important safety equipment and filling in where local and state government budgets may fall short.

“There are so many amazing individuals in Southampton who care deeply about the community and want to help those who keep us safe,” Falk said. “We wanted to create a mechanism that enables people to give directly to public safety initiatives and make a meaningful impact.”

The foundation is in the early stages of fundraising, but Falk said the goal is to host a community event this fall to raise awareness about the group and its mission.

Falk, a longtime philanthropist and author who splits her time between Southampton and Palm Beach, said she has already received positive feedback from members of the community — and from those who will benefit from the foundation’s support.

Southampton Village Police Chief James Kiernan praised the effort, noting that supplemental funding can go a long way toward providing training and equipment that might otherwise be out of reach.

“This kind of partnership helps us do our job better and shows the officers that the community values their work and safety,” Kiernan said.

Also helping to lead the effort is Rick Moran, who serves as treasurer for the foundation and has a long history in corporate leadership. He was the founder and chairman of Dorson Sports Inc. from 1988 until 2011. The company manufactured and distributed sports products throughout the United States under various brand names. In 2004, he established Moran Inc. and served as the president and CEO through 2011. Moran Inc. was responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of consumer products under the Rubbermaid name as well as private label.

Last week, Annie Falk spoke about her vision for the foundation while seated on a shaded porch, overlooking a manicured lawn and gardens. As birds chirped nearby, she explained that the work ahead is grounded in appreciation and a desire to give back.

“We’re just getting started,” she said, “but I think it’s going to be something very special for this town.”