Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg Donate $5M to Motion Picture & Television Fund for Fire Relief

Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg are pledging major resources to L.A.’s wildfire relief efforts.

The DreamWorks co-founder and his wife have donated $5 million to the Motion Picture & Television Foundation, the charitable organization that operates a retirement home for entertainment workers and provides an array of social services for the industry. The MPTF‘s chairman of the board of directors, former Paramount Pictures CEO Jim Gianopulos, announced the news on Wednesday.

“The wildfire devastation is unlike anything Los Angeles has ever faced, and we must act urgently to help people in immediate need,” Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement. “Marilyn and I are heartbroken for our friends and colleagues whose lives have been turned upside down, especially in the industry that has meant so much to us, and we hope our contribution can help provide comfort and resources in this moment.”

Jeffrey Katzenberg, known to be a savvy fundraiser, worked with the MPTF for more than three decades before stepping down from his roles on the board of directors and governors in 2021. With Wednesday’s announcement, he continues this track record of supporting the entertainment-focused charity. “Marilyn and Jeffrey have truly stepped up to help those who have been blindsided by these life-changing events,” said Gianopulos in a statement.

The MPTF has been keeping very busy since the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out on Jan. 7, devastating two communities with major concentrations of entertainment workers in the process. The social-services organization has been helping victims obtain basic items, like toiletries, medicines and blankets, while also preparing to provide more complex assistance. In mid-January, the organization’s director of community social services told The Hollywood Reporter that the organization will be working to get evacuees access to mental health services and offering help when it comes to insurance claims.

Right now, however, “it’s document replacement: passports, drivers’ licenses,” said Jennifer Jorge. “It’s the little things and everything. People are completely overwhelmed. The sheer magnitude of what needs to be reinstated is so much. You need to have the knowledge of who to call and what to ask for. We’re here to help with that, sometimes making the calls with individuals or even doing it on their behalf.”

The fires have struck a tough blow to entertainment workers, some of whom were already facing a difficult job market and had weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes. Entertainment firms and celebrities have stepped up to help, with companies like Disney, Netflix and Warner Bros, Discovery and figures like Leonardo DiCaprio, The Weeknd and Eva Longoria making major donations to recovery and rebuilding efforts.