Which foundation was founded by the family behind the Sun Oil Company?

The family behind the Sun Oil Company founded The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Joseph Newton Pew founded Sun Oil Company in 1880, and his sons J. Howard Pew and Joseph N. Pew Jr. later helped manage the business. Along with their sisters, they created the charitable organization that became The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The name can cause confusion because the Pew family supported many separate causes and institutions before the trust structure developed. “Sunoco Charitable Fund” and “Sun Oil Foundation” are plausible-sounding distractors, not the canonical name of this organization.

Today, The Pew Charitable Trusts is known for research, public policy, and civic initiatives. It is distinct from Sunoco, the corporate successor associated with the family’s oil business.