Sumner Redstone has made a $20 million gift to the Motion Picture & Television Fund Campaign, the Hollywood non-profit said Tuesday. The Viacom and CBS Executive Chairman made the donation through his charitable foundation.
The MPTF launched a $350 million fundraising campaign in February 2012 and with Redstone’s gift the charity has raised over $300 million towards that goal. The non-profit will use the money build its endowment and provide services and financial assistance to entertainment-industry members in need.
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Redstone joins a list of moguls and movie stars who have donated to the campaign including DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg, his former business partners Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, IAC chairman Barry Diller, Anne and Kirk Douglas, 21st Century Fox head Rupert Murdoch and producer Steve Bing.
“For more than two decades Sumner Redstone has been one of the most generous supporters of MPTF and now with this extraordinary gift to the Campaign, he is providing for future generations in the entertainment community who need the help, support and services of this extraordinary organization,” Katzenberg, who also serves as chairman of the MPTF Foundation, said in a statement. “I have admired Sumner as one of our industry’s great entrepreneurs and business leaders as well as philanthropists, and cannot thank him enough for giving back so generously.”
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In a separate statement, Redstone said his career as a media entrepreneur has been “fueled” by a love of film and television.
“For me, it is a privilege to help provide essential services for those who truly drive this industry, so they can continue to focus on bringing entertainment magic to so many around the world,” Redstone said.
In addition to aiding the MPTF, the Sumner Redstone Charitable Foundation has contributed more than $170 million to a host of education and healthcare related causes including the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Boston University School of Law and the Global Poverty Project towards eradicating polio.