STEVE ROTHENBERG TO BE HONORED AT VARIETY – THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY HEART OF SHOW BUSINESS BENEFIT

Annual luncheon to take place on December 10 at the Beverly Hills Hotel

LOS ANGELES, November 24, 2009 — Variety the Children’s Charity of Southern California this year will honor 28-year industry veteran Steve Rothenberg at the charity’s Heart of Show Business benefit luncheon. Taking place December 10, 2009 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the annual benefit honors an individual who has made a deep impact on the community of Southern California acting as a leader to help others and inspire. Throughout his career, Steve supported numerous film festivals, oversaw the release of over 350 movies and was a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. He was also a board member of Variety – the Children’s Charity. Steve lost his battle with cancer earlier this year. He always said life is comprised of four chapters. Variety – the Children’s Charity will celebrate Steve’s 4th chapter, as he lived a remarkable three chapters inspiring others.

“We are deeply honored to pay tribute to a true humanitarian whose leadership, dedication and integrity is an inspiration to the film industry,’ said Alan Davy, President of Variety the Children’s Charity of Southern California.

Past honorees at the annual benefit have included industry veteran Fred Beiersdorf of Deluxe Laboratories as well as Judy Zdravje, retiring Executive Director after 42 years of service at the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Boyle Heights.

Variety—The Children’s Charity of Southern California was founded in 1941 as a nonprofit organization with the express mission to provide life-saving and life-enriching assistance to children with special needs in the region. Last year, in addition to its commitment to the capital campaign fund for a new Variety Boys and Girls Club, Variety Tent 25 distributed 65 grants, totaling more than half a million dollars to local organizations who serve children in Southern California. These funds support a full range of services encompassing medical, health, recreational, and social services; and provide a wide array of therapeutic, literacy, and mental health programs not traditionally funded by other private or public sources.

In November 2005, the charity launched www.ebay.com/varietyskids and has raised over $850,000 by auctioning off pieces of Hollywood memorabilia, including tickets to the premiere of “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience,” shirts worn by the stars of “Brokeback Mountain,” and other signed movie memorabilia. In 2008, Keira Knightly’s green dress from “Atonement” sold for $35,000 in a clothesoffourback.com auction that benefited Variety – the Children’s Charity of Southern California and most recently, a suit worn by actor Sean Penn in the Oscar-winning MILK raised over $12,000 for the charity. Proceeds from the auctions go directly to helping children in the Southern California community.

The Mission of Variety – The Children’s Charity is to provide life-saving and life-enriching assistance to abused, addicted, physically-challenged, neglected, and/or underprivileged children throughout Southern California. We pride ourselves on being able to modify our agenda in order to meet the evolving conditions encompassing our region – addressing each case in a timely, impartial manner. Please visit www.varietysocal.org for more information.

Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California – Chapter 25 is the local chapter of an expansive global network, Variety International – The Children’s Charity, that assists afflicted children that have nowhere else to turn. Today, there are 43 Chapters, in 13 nations, serving children in need therein helping to better their quality of life. Since 1927, worldwide, we have raised over $1 billion to aid our special needs kids.

Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California Chapter 25
4601 Wilshire Blvd. – Suite 260
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel.: (323) 655-1547
Fax: (323) 658-8789
helpkids@varietysocal.org