HollyRod Foundation
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Rodney Peete
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
| Company type | Nonprofit organization |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Holly Robinson Peete Rodney Peete |
| Headquarters | 9250 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills, CA 90212 |
Key people | Holly Robinson Peete (Co-Founder) Rodney Peete (Co-Founder) Wallis Annenberg (Board of Directors) |
| Website | www |
HollyRod Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by actress Holly Robinson Peete and retired NFL quarterback Rodney Peete that provides "medical, physical, and emotional support" to individuals living with Parkinson's disease as well as families of children with autism.[1] The HollyRod4kids initiative assists families affected by autism through providing resources to help improve the lives of children diagnosed with the disorder.[2] Concurrently, the foundation provides aid for Parkinson's Disease patients through its HollyRod Compassionate Care Program in partnership with the Center for Parkinson's Research and Movement Disorders located at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine.[3][4]
Former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and his wife, actress Holly Robinson Peete, established the HollyRod Foundation in 1997 in honor of Holly's father, late actor and television producer Matt Robinson, who died of Parkinson's disease in 2002.[5] He had been living with the disease since the age of 46. As it began to progress, the symptoms began to affect Robinson's ability to complete certain tasks in his daily life. Rodney, Holly, and the rest of their family stepped in to support him. During the time period of caring for her father, Peete and her husband became inspired to help others suffering from the disease who lacked the financial means to pay for the associated costs. With this motive in mind, the HollyRod Foundation came into inception.
In 2000, after the Peetes' oldest son (3 years old at the time), Rodney 'RJ' Peete Jr., was diagnosed with autism, the HollyRod Foundation expanded its mission to bring awareness to this issue. Holly Robinson Peete has since become a recognizable international advocate for autism causes. She and her family have appeared on behalf of the HollyRod Foundation on various television shows, events, and print media including The Oprah Winfrey Show, World Autism Awareness Day events,[6] People magazine,[7] and others, to share their personal story of how autism has affected their lives and to bring awareness to the issue.[8]
In 2003, The HollyRod Foundation partnered with Target Corporation.[9] In 2007, Anheuser-Busch pledged $200,000 to HollyRod over the following two years. At the time the donation was the largest single contribution the organization had ever received.[1]
In 2010, co-founder Holly Robinson Peete became a candidate on the reality television series The Celebrity Apprentice 3 to raise money for the HollyRod Foundation. At the time of the season finale, Peete had raised the most money for her charity in Celebrity Apprentice history. However, she was not hired by Donald Trump in the finale and finished second to musician Bret Michaels, but earned $597,893 USD to benefit HollyRod.