Created in 1942 by Hollywood heavyweights - Samuel Goldwyn with friends Humprhey Bogart, James Cagney, and the Warner brothers, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (formerly Permanent Charities Committee) was established on the belief that the entertainment industry was in a unique position to truly help others. Their vision was to unify Hollywood's generous giving in order to maximize the amount of charitable dollars raised annually, and guarantee that worthy charities receive these contributions. Throughout its history, the Entertainment Industry Foundation has focused on some of the most pressing needs of our time: from the first grants directed to wartime agencies like the United States Organizations and American Red Cross, to providing funding and creating awareness to help eradicate childhood polio. Today, EIF continues this tradition and has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support charitable initiatives addressing critical health and social issues, as well as funding for some of the most advanced medical research today.