Jay Leno headlines ECF’s milestone gala supporting the only California organization serving nearly 4,000 people with developmental disabilities.
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, June 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Jay Leno, the legendary comedian and longtime host of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, will headline the Exceptional Children’s Foundation (ECF) 80th Anniversary Gala on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The milestone evening marks eight decades of service by the only organization in California providing a full spectrum of care for children and adults with developmental disabilities — from birth through adulthood.
Founded in 1946 by a group of Los Angeles parents who built the city’s first daycare and training program for children with developmental disabilities — because no government program existed to do so — ECF has grown into one of Southern California’s most comprehensive nonprofit providers of lifespan disability services. Today, ECF serves nearly 4,000 children, adults, and families through 14 service sites across Los Angeles County, providing special education, mental health services, adult employment programs, independent living support, residential services, and four Art Centers where artists with developmental disabilities train, exhibit, and sell their work.
Leno’s participation brings national profile to an institution that has operated largely outside the public spotlight for eight decades. An Emmy Award-winning performer, producer, and philanthropist widely recognized for his long-standing commitment to charitable causes, Leno continues to perform live across the country.
Veronica Arteaga, President & CEO, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, expresses, “For 80 years, ECF has helped move the conversation from institutional care to education, inclusion, employment, housing, and lifelong support. This gala is not only a celebration of our history — it is a call to protect and expand the services that children, adults, and families depend on every day.”
The 80th Anniversary Gala will honor philanthropists Jenni Kayne, founder of the lifestyle brand bearing her name, and Richard Ehrlich, a leading figure in luxury real estate, for their continued dedication to children and adults with special needs and their multi-generational family legacy of philanthropy connected to ECF’s Kayne Eras School. Emmy Award-winning journalist Kristine Lazar will serve as emcee. The evening will feature dinner, live and silent auctions, and program highlights reflecting ECF’s eight decades of community impact.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 6 people worldwide lives with significant disability. Against that backdrop, ECF’s 80-year record represents a Los Angeles-born model for what lifespan disability inclusion — education, employment, independence, and community — can look like when a community refuses to leave its most vulnerable residents behind.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Exceptional Children’s Foundation 80th Anniversary Gala
When: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049
Info: ECF.net
ABOUT EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION (ECF)
Founded in 1946, Exceptional Children’s Foundation (ECF) is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit and the only organization of its kind in California providing a full spectrum of lifespan services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and other special needs, from birth through adulthood. Since its inception, ECF has impacted more than a quarter of a million individuals and families through programs and services that empower people of all abilities to achieve greater independence, confidence, and inclusion. Today, ECF serves nearly 4,000 children, adults, and families annually through a comprehensive network of educational, therapeutic, employment, residential, and community-based programs. With a commitment to dignity, opportunity, and belonging, ECF continues to create pathways for people of all abilities to thrive. For more information, visit ECF.net.
ABOUT JAY LENO
Jay Leno is an Emmy Award-winning television host, stand-up comedian, author, producer, and philanthropist. Best known for his historic run as host of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, he is also the creator and host of Jay Leno’s Garage. Leno continues to perform live across the country and is widely recognized for his long-standing commitment to charitable causes and community events.
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