Boxoffice Pro—Q4 2021

“The parents are the
heroes. The parents are
the people that—24 hours
a day, seven days a week—
are dealing with meds and
therapies and walkers and
wheelchairs.”
In 2020, with the Covid pandemic
shutting businesses’ doors and keeping
billions quarantined, the emotional
and psychological benefits of being able
to spend a few active minutes outside
hit home for families and individuals
worldwide. Variety of SoCal—like the
cinema industry as a whole—had to
pivot to virtual events, a challenge for
a nonprofit that previously generated
the vast majority of its donations from
in-person events, including poker and
casino nights, an annual Golf Classic, and
the Heart of Show Business luncheon.
In September 2020, when Covid case
numbers had taken a dip, Variety of SoCal
held an in-person, outdoor golf event
that “sold out immediately,” says O’Neil.
“The biggest takeaway was that it was so
nice seeing our colleagues again and just
catching up with people. We can’t get into
the mind frame where everything is going
to be virtual from now on, because we still
need that human interaction.”
With in-person events now more
possible than they were in mid-2020,
O’Neil says she isn’t ready to let go of
virtual fundraising events entirely. What
Covid has taught her, she says, is that “we
really need to diversify more into other
revenue streams, other than just in-person
events. We love seeing our supporters. We
love getting together. We love the events
that bring all our friends out to support
the industry. That’s so important. But I
think the key is to get a better balance
between the in-person events and other
revenue streams.”
From her 13-and-counting years as
Variety of SoCal’s executive director, the
moments that stick most in O’Neil’s mind
involve that in-person connection—not
with entertainment professionals (though
she immensely values the charitable spirit
of the entertainment community that
makes Variety of SoCal’s work possible),
but with the children and families who
benefit from Variety’s work. She recalls a
75th anniversary event, where 75 adaptive
bikes were given away to at-need children.
“It was the most amazing day. I remember
one father came up to me—his son was
named Angel, and he had written the most
beautiful note on his application. He came
up to me and gave me flowers to thank
me for what was happening that day. The
parents are the heroes. The parents are
the people that—24 hours a day, seven
days a week—are dealing with meds and
therapies and walkers and wheelchairs.
Yet they never lose joy and hope. They
are dedicated and driven to giving their
children their best lives possible. They are
the ones that inspire me. They’re the ones
that are the heroes.”
Q4 2021
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