Gates Donates $1M to Reiner Foundation for Children’s Health

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation yesterday donated $1 million to the Beverly Hills-based "I am Your Child Foundation," to foster "public awareness about the importance of early childhood development," the Los Angeles Times reports. Founded in 1997 by actor and director Rob Reiner, the "I am Your Child Foundation" unites more than 150 national organizations and governmental agencies collaborating to "promote family and community involvement in young children's healthy development." The foundation creates videotapes and media campaigns addressing issues such as prenatal care, childhood brain development and nutrition. Reiner's foundation will use the grant, which will provide a "significant" boost to the not-for-profit's annual $3 million budget, to expand its efforts to promote early childhood health on the state and national levels. Reiner also spearheaded the 1998 California ballot initiative that placed a 50-cent tax on tobacco products to fund child care and antitobacco programs for children up to age 5. Gates Foundation Public Affairs Director Trevor Neilson said that "I am Your Child" was selected to receive the grant because Reiner is "unusually dedicated, and the work they are doing on raising awareness about the earliest years is crucial for our society." Referring to the grant, Reiner said, "We are very grateful because this gives us an opportunity to expand our horizons" (Wides, Los Angeles Times, 11/28).