Rosie Perez, Ramon Rodriguez Host Fundraiser for Hurricane Maria
Thursday evening at The Conga Room at L.A. Live, Rosie Perez and Ramon Rodriguez partnered with the nonprofit organization Today, I’m Brave to host the 100Roofs Project Gala.
The goal of the fundraiser was to help raise funds for the 100Roofs Project, whose work includes rebuilding the roofs over the heads of Puerto Ricans whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Maria. The awe-inspiring event featured live auctions, musical performances and hope for the communities devastated by the destruction caused by the storm. Heading into the evening, the goal was to raise $500,000.
Perez, who co-hosted the gala with Rodriguez, shared with The Hollywood Reporter how she got involved in 100Roofs, “Ramon Rodriguez is one of my dearest friends. His good friend is one of the first responders and he called me and said, ‘This is dire. This is no joke, it’s like a war zone.’ And I said, ‘How can we help?’ And he said, ‘We need money and people are without roofs.'” As a result, Perez got in touch with Today, I’m Brave to donate money to rebuilding roofs on homes destroyed in Puerto Rico.
Recording Academy president Neil Portnow was also on hand to support the work that the 100Roofs project is doing. He told THR, “I admire philanthropy, charity. I know some of the people that put this together and when you have commercial businesses put their money where their mouth is and do philanthropy, I think that’s leading by example and that’s just a great message that’s very needed today.”
The West Wing actor Jimmy Smits supported the cause as well. “We’re at the one-year anniversary. I don’t wanna call it an anniversary like it’s a celebration,” he told THR. “There’s this other aspect that people still don’t have their homes in the way that they can live so this is a great organization in terms of what they’re doing and adding another layer that’s sorely needed.”
Rodriguez, who is currently working on a documentary to highlight the work that the 100Roofs project has been doing for the past year to help the lives of Puerto Ricans, added, “We wanted to show the carpenters that are going down to the island and really go down to the remote islands that are affected. We went there and we immediately started building roofs. We also showed the apprentice program where we were teaching locals in the community carpentry so that they can be empowered. We’re rebuilding roofs but we’re also rebuilding spirits.”
The $500,000 fundraising goal was quickly accomplished during the evening through the live auction.
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