Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation Announces $10 Million Gift to Expand Signature Initiatives

The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation has announced a $10 million gift, the organization’s first major philanthropic initiative since the passing of its founder, Wallis Annenberg, in July 2025. The gift will expand and strengthen four signature initiatives that Annenberg championed during her lifetime, while reaffirming the Foundation’s commitment to sustaining her vision for future generations.

Funds will be distributed to the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, student internships at Wallis Annenberg Hall at the University of Southern California, free and low-cost performances at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, and the Wildlife Crossing Fund in Agoura Hills. The Foundation also confirmed its continued support for two flagship projects: the Wallis Annenberg GenSpace, dedicated to reimagining aging, and the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace, an innovative community animal adoption center.

“As we continue to mourn the loss of Wallis Annenberg, we are also celebrating her life by ensuring the places and causes she loved most remain strong and vibrant,” said the Legacy Foundation’s Board of Directors. “With this first major gift since her passing, we are honored to carry forward her work and invest in the initiatives she held closest to her heart.”

Leaders from each initiative reflected on the significance of the support:

• Nan Friedman, Annenberg Community Beach House Manager: “Wallis’ vision and generosity lives on through the Legacy Foundation, and this gift will help us continue to welcome all to the California shoreline.”

• Robert van Leer, CEO of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts: “This gift will allow us to bring world-class performances to audiences who might otherwise never experience them.”

• Willow Bay, Dean of USC Annenberg: “This generous gift ensures students gain vital skills to tell stories with integrity and lead in a rapidly changing world.”

• Beth Pratt, Founder & CEO of the Wildlife Crossing Fund: “The Wildlife Crossing Fund stands as a testament to Wallis’ visionary leadership in conservation.”

• Christopher J. Leech, Director of GenSpace: “This ongoing support allows us to keep expanding programs that fight isolation and help older adults thrive.”

• Allison Cardona, Director of PetSpace: “We are grateful for the Foundation’s commitment to help us deepen the mission Wallis envisioned—connecting families with animals in need.”

“The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation exists to carry Wallis’s values into the future,” said Aradhna Oliphant, Chief Operations and Strategy Officer. “Wallis believed that philanthropy should be bold, generous, and inclusive, and it is in that spirit that we will continue her work.”

For more information, visit www.walf.org.

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