SOURCE OF WEALTH: Actor, Director, Producer
FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Human Services, Global
OVERVIEW: Denzel Washington has made several major grants to Wiley College, an HBCU in Texas. He has also supported Fisher House Foundation. Washington makes grants through the Denzel Washington Family Foundation.
BACKGROUND: Denzel Washington was born in Mount Vernon in 1954. He studied journalism at Fordham University before catching the acting bug. He made his feature film debut in the comedy A Carbon Copy and has gone on to star in numerous films, including Philadelphia, Man on Fire, The Book of Eli, American Gangster and Flight. He won Oscars for his roles in Glory and Training Day.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Washington has given strong support to Wiley College, an HBCU in Texas. Denzel played Wiley College debate coach Melvin Tolson in The Great Debaters. Washington donated $1 million to the college to re-establish Wiley’s debate program. He recently gave another $1 million to the school. Washington has also been involved with Boys and Girls Club of America (BCGA).
HUMAN SERVICES: Washington has spent time visiting wounded soldiers at Fisher Houses, hospitals that provide housing for injured soldiers’ families at little or no cost. He has also contributed to the Fisher House Foundation.
GLOBAL: Washington has been associated with Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
LOOKING FORWARD: Washington and his family may make grants outside of their formal charitable organization, which makes some of their philanthropy hard to track—important gifts may be missing from this rundown. Washington is still very much engaged in Hollywood, but should be watched for greater grantmaking in the coming years.
