ESSENTIAL Campaign

Donate to the ESSENTIAL Campaign

Key Pillars

  • Expand and Sustain the Services of the Fund
  • Grow the Emergency Relief Reserve Fund
  • Support Mission-Critical Capital Projects

Campaign Overview

The mission of the Entertainment Community Fund has always been to provide services and direct aid to those in need in the performing arts and entertainment industry, with the goals of both stability and resiliency in the population we serve.

The $160 million ESSENTIAL Campaign is a bold and comprehensive effort which will allow the Fund to serve more people in more places. Dollars raised will be utilized by the Entertainment Community Fund for significant expansion of services, to create an Emergency Relief Reserve Fund and to address mission-critical capital projects.

What the ESSENTIAL Campaign will support:

  • Expand and Sustain Services: $75 million
    • Triple the number of people the Fund serves.
    • Execute an innovative digital engagement strategy that includes the roll-out of a new client portal funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
    • Reach more people in additional communities with services such as scholarships, mental health services, insurance and career counseling.
  • Grow the Emergency Relief Reserve Fund: $22 million
    • Sustain an Emergency Relief Reserve Fund that will allow the Fund to respond immediately to the next crisis that will impact the entertainment community, knowing the resources are there and more resources can be deployed.
  • Support Mission-Critical Capital Projects: $63 million
    • Complete construction of The Hollywood Arts Collective, a complex in the heart of Hollywood that combines 151 units of affordable housing with an arts building and a new home for the Fund’s Western Region offices.
    • Upgrade the Actors Fund Home, an assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation residence for seniors in New Jersey.
    • Modernize The Schermerhorn and The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residences in New York.
    • Create an Affordable Housing Catalyst Fund to stimulate investment in new projects.

Honorary Co-Chairs

Annette Bening
Brian Stokes Mitchell

Co-Chairs

Hugh Jackman
Chris Keyser
Kenny Leon
Matthew Loeb
Shonda Rhimes
Robert Wankel

Committee Members

Greg Berlanti
Janice Reals Ellig
Robert Greenblatt
David Henry Hwang
Sharon Karmazin
Brooke Kennedy
James L. Nederlander
Ruth Nerken
Laura Penn
David Rambo
Lauren Reid
Kate Shindle
Henry Tisch
Lisa Ann Walter

How to Participate

For more information or to learn how you can support the ESSENTIAL Campaign, please contact Tom Exton at texton@entertainmentcommunity.org.

Frequently Asked Questions about the ESSENTIAL Campaign

Read the press release