SoCal Fire Fund, Jalen Hurts Foundation, Alicia Keys and More

FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO

We remain in service to the residents of Los Angeles who lost their homes and those who continue to be displaced. The visible devastation across the city and the unseen impact on our physical and mental well-being has taken a toll on our community.

Our Defy:Disaster program, through generous supporters, activated to aid firefighters and their families, shelters caring for pets, and organizations feeding displaced residents across Los Angeles. SoCal Fire Fund, which we are administering for CAA, CORE, and LAUSD Foundation, has raised more than $5.7 million and supported more than 5,000 students, individuals, and families impacted by the wildfires. The immediate outpouring of generosity from all areas of the entertainment community and the collaborative resolve to offer respite to friends and neighbors are a testament to the altruism of our industry.

Many of us are quick to celebrate the virtue of self-reliance, but these past few weeks have offered us opportunities to welcome the charity of friends, neighbors, and others from around the world with generous hearts. We can rely on one another and be in service to each other as we move to rebuild our homes and our lives.

Nicole Sexton
President & CEO
Entertainment Industry Foundation

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
DEFY:DISASTER

EIF’s disaster response program, Defy:Disaster activated to provide immediate and long-term support to those who are suffering loss from the deadly Los Angeles wildfires. Defy:Disaster issued its first round of grants supporting firefighters and their families, shelters caring for displaced pets, and organizations relieving food insecurity for residents across the county. The program also collaborated with Big Brothers Big Sisters, our partner through The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program, to offer direct financial assistance to mentee and mentor families who lost homes in the fires.

Thank you for your support of our program! We will continue to assist residents throughout their recovery.

FISCALLY SPONSORED FUND SPOTLIGHT
SOCAL FIRE FUND

The SoCal Fire Fund, a collaborative relief effort launched to assist students, individuals, and families impacted by the January 2025 wildfires in Southern California, has raised more than $5.7 million to date and supported over 5,000 people.

The relief effort, spearheaded by the CAA Foundation, Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), a global humanitarian organization that empowers communities in and beyond crisis, and the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation, and supported by numerous entertainment industry leaders, continues to provide critical, flexible, financial assistance, case management, and mental health services to the most vulnerable communities affected by the wildfires. The fund is administered by EIF.

A PSA highlighting the long road to recovery for Angelenos and the importance of the SoCal Fire Fund’s effort was created and produced by Orbital Studios, a film and television production studio specializing in virtual production. The PSA, an in-kind donation from Orbital Studios, is voiced by Jaime Ray Newman, an Oscar-winning producer and accomplished actress. There is Hope is airing nationally on broadcast, syndicated, and streaming platforms, as well as on terrestrial and streaming radio.

The SoCal Fire Fund remains open to donations and encourages other companies, organizations, and individuals to contribute as recovery efforts continue in the coming months and years.

FISCALLY SPONSORED FUND SPOTLIGHT
JALEN HURTS FOUNDATION

Congratulations to our fund partner, Jalen Hurts, on the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl win. We are honored to administer the Jalen Hurts Foundation, which aims to strengthen communities by servicing and advancing youth. Its “Keep It Cool” initiative is improving learning environments in Philadelphia by providing air conditioning units to benefit the 5,500+ children in 10 K-12 schools across the school district. Jalen is creating impact in ways that inspire, educate, and advance the nation’s youth.

FISCALLY SPONSORED FUND SPOTLIGHT
SHE IS THE MUSIC

Congratulations to our fund partners Alicia Keys and Jody Gerson, co-founders of She Is The Music. A highlight of the GRAMMY Awards, Alicia Keys received the prestigious Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, and Jody Gerson, CEO of Universal Music Publishing, was honored with the Clive Davis Icon Award the previous evening. Both women used these opportunities to underscore the importance of acknowledging the contributions of female songwriters, engineers, producers, artists, and industry professionals. She Is The Music is a global network that operates as a unifying organization for women across the country, building an equal future in music.

FISCALLY SPONSORED FUND SPOTLIGHT
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CAMP

The Know Your Rights Camp (KYRC) app has expanded its impact with a new state-by-state guide to immigration rights, including guidance on what to do when approached at work or home, along with best practices. Available in both English and Spanish, this update to the app is designed to support migrants facing challenges with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), further solidifying the app as a vital source of clarity and understanding during critical moments. KYRC co-founder Colin Kaepernick describes the app as a bridge to providing communities with tools for self-empowerment. The app is available on Google Play and the App Store.

Know Your Rights Camp is advancing the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass mobilization, and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders.

FISCALLY SPONSORED FUND SPOTLIGHT
THE CLYDEO FUND

We proudly welcome our new partner, The Clydeo Fund. In celebration of the launch of her debut picture book Clydeo Takes A Bite Out of Life, Jennifer Aniston formed The Clydeo Fund as a vehicle to support animal rescue organizations around the globe. Every dollar counts in its mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and find forever homes for animals in need. The Clydeo Fund’s mission is to save the lives of shelter animals, improve conditions within shelters, and bring joy and unconditional love to the homes of the humans who rescue them.

EIF FUNDS COLLABORATE
ROYBAL FILM AND TELEVISION MAGNET & KEVIN LOVE FUND

Last month, the team at the Kevin Love Fund had an opportunity to bring their mental health program to educators, counselors, and coaches at Roybal Film and Television Magnet. They spent the day discussing ways to recognize mental health challenges in their students and how to effectively integrate supportive tools and lessons into their classroom curriculum.

This wonderful collaboration brings Kevin Love Fund’s highly effective youth curriculum to Roybal, which is working to build a more inclusive pipeline of historically underrepresented, college and career-ready students interested in the film and television industries.