Hollywood dollars vital to charities

Hollywood raises millions for charitable causes, such as AIDS research, multiple sclerosis, autism, breast cancer and literacy.

So nonprofit groups like Spire’s would suffer a blow in the event of a strike. Spire estimates that her organization, which provides free legal, educational and social services to L.A. County’s at-risk children, raises more than $1 million a year from Hollywood, more than one-third of the Alliance’s total donations.

“These already underserved children are one of the most tragic examples of who would suffer first,” said Spire, the group’s executive director. “When there’s a crisis, philanthropy goes before jobs get cut.”

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Claudia Eller