George Clooney, a member of the Motion Picture & Television Fund board of directors, announced that Barry Diller and his family have stepped forward with a $30 million legacy gift towards the previously announced MPTF Campaign goal of $350 million being led by Jeffrey Katzenberg, MPTF board member and chairman of the MPTF Foundation.
“Seems impossible to me to have had success in the entertainment industry and not strongly support the MPTF,” said Diller. “I’m just glad and happy to be able to do so.”
“MPTF has benefited greatly in recent years from the Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation providing grants that have increased the amount of our charitable community services beyond the Wasserman Campus,” said Katzenberg. “This incredible pledge now insures that these services will be there forever and we are grateful to Barry for honoring the legacy of caring for our own in such a significant way.”
Clooney reiterated that the funds raised by the MPTF Campaign will be used to support charitable programs and services provided each year to thousands of entertainment industry members – active and retired – who depend on MPTF for health and social services, as well as child care and retirement care. Clooney added, “It is estimated that over 75,000 industry members will be retiring over the next 10 years and this campaign will help insure that MPTF will remain a vital part of the safety net of care for our industry at a time that state and federal programs are coming under such great stress.”
Ken Scherer, CEO of the MPTF Foundation, expressed his gratitude for the leadership of Clooney and Katzenberg in this quiet phase of the three-year campaign. “The initial responses to this fundraising effort have been extremely heartening and we look forward to recognizing each of our donors in the months to come.”
