Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1525547
L O C AT I O N M A N A G E R S G U I L D I N T E R N AT I O N A L I 1 1 t h A N N U A L L M G I A W A R D S 2 3 MPTF supports thousands of working and retired entertainment industry professionals with health and social services, offering programs in behavioral health, childcare, crisis counseling, veterans' services and palliative care. Many motion picture veterans call the independent and assisted-living Wasserman Campus community in Woodland Hills "home," and its cutting-edge Wellness Center is a model for aging science and therapies. MPTF also offers services like social isolation volunteer programs, a behavioral health center, long-term care, memory and dementia care, and in-home senior outreach programs—with fees based solely on the ability to pay. Recent industry challenges have confirmed the strength of MPTF's commitment to its mission. For its tireless work distributing aid and providing social services to nearly 9,000 industry members during the COVID-19 pandemic, MPTF was honored in 2021 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) with its prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. This marks the first time the award, named after the longtime Relief Fund president (1945-1956) and AMPAS president (1945-1949), was bestowed on an organization. During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA/WGA strikes, MPTF hosted a food drive that served 1,000 households and distributed more than $8 million in financial assistance. MPTF is well positioned to protect Mary Pickford's legacy, looking to the future by laying the groundwork for the next 100 years. Its NextGen program is focused on engaging a new crop of philanthropic leaders whose vision and talents will continue to reshape the entertainment industry. Its Passing the Torch mentorship program joins retired industry professionals with students from underrepresented groups to increase awareness of the wide range of career opportunities in the entertainment field. The Samuel Goldwyn Foundation Children's Center offers childcare to support families in the industry, and MPTF Studios (formerly Channel 22) pairs all ages of volunteers with residents to produce original content, movies and TV shows, and an annual instant film festival. "At MPTF, we take our mission of 'taking care of our own' seriously when it comes to our entertainment community's members in need," attests Bob Beitcher, President & CEO of MPTF. "We always have to be ready to be a safety net for hundreds, even thousands, of workers and their families when a crisis strikes, whether it's an individual one like an illness or financial struggle, or an industry-wide one like job shortages, strikes, and the pandemic. It's an honor to be recognized for the work our compassionate team does every single day." For guiding the film and television workforce through industry challenges and times of need, and its longtime commitment to championing the wellness and dignity of entertainment professionals, the LMGI wholeheartedly presents MPTF with our 2024 Humanitarian Award. "Our industry is unique, and we have a history, and responsibility, of taking care of our own like no other industry in the world," reads a statement from MPTF. "People are at the heart of what we do each and every day."