Thanks to the enterprising people at Warner Bros. Studio’s Encore Program, the generosity of the producers on a major feature film and some manpower assistance from FilmL.A. and Film Works staffers, the people at the nonprofit Penny Lane were given quite an exciting and large donation.
So, what is Penny Lane? Penny Lane is a nonprofit with centers located throughout Southern California, established to provide care for abused and neglected children and youth. Working with local agencies and area schools, Penny Lane currently provides therapeutic residential services and education for teenagers, foster family home placements, adoption services, transitional housing for young adults and outpatient mental health services for children and youth.
And what is the Warner Bros. Encore Program? Encore – A Community Reuse Partnership – is a special program created by Warner Bros. Studios to reduce waste while offering valuable, like-new and lightly used materials to local schools and nonprofit organizations. Since the production offices for the Warner Bros. film were located just upstairs from FilmL.A.’s offices, the studio reached out to FilmL.A. and Film Works to help get a wealth of surplus material into deserving hands.
“When the offer came through I thought of Penny Lane right away,” said Todd Lindgren, vice president at FilmL.A. “I was aware of Penny Lane’s residential program for foster children who become emancipated adults and have no family and nowhere to go, and I know Penny Lane’s residential program deserves all the support it can get.”
And for those who depend on Penny Lane’s services, Warner Bros. truly is saving the day. The production donated half a dozen “like new” couches, dozens of Ikea lounge chairs, a washer and drier, three refrigerators, Dyson vacuum cleaners, crates of electronic equipment, space heaters, air conditioners, dozens of box fans and floor lamps and kitchen and office supplies.
“The donations are tremendously appreciated,” said Penny Lane’s Nydia Darakat. “The donations will be used for transitional housing and our wrap-around families, most of which are very low income.”
Do you know of a situation in which a film company gave back to the local community? If so, we’d love to hear about it. Thanks to programs like Encore and the generosity of major film productions, Film Works for even more Californians.