The 2010 Oscar ceremony will contribute not only to the career of various film artists and technicians, but also to charities across the United States. On Sunday, March 7, official Oscar viewing parties will be hosted by charities in 51 cities as part of Oscar Night America (ONA), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ grassroots outreach program.
The Academy allows charity institutions throughout the country to host viewing parties on Oscar Night, with proceeds directly benefiting those charities. According to the Academy’s press release, all parties will feature the live broadcast of the Oscar presentation, while some will include Hollywood-style party to-dos, including red carpet arrivals, the presence of local celebrities, predict-the-winner contests, live entertainment, and even paparazzi.
The Academy sets these events apart from thousands of others taking place on Oscar Night by providing each ONA party with copies of the official commemorative poster and the official Oscar show program. Only one charity party in a given media market may take part in ONA. The events are entirely produced by local nonprofit organizations, with the assistance of the local ABC-TV affiliate station.
The 2010 Oscar Night America charities and cities are (alphabetical by city):
- The Center for Family Resources, Atlanta, GA
- LifeWorks, Austin, TX
- AIDS Interfaith Residential Services, Baltimore, MD
- The Ellie Fund, Boston, MA
- Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY
- United Family Services, Charlotte, NC
- Virginia Film Festival, Charlottesville, VA
- Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- People Working Cooperatively, Inc., Cincinnati, OH
- USA Film Festival and KidFilm Festival, Dallas, TX
- Denver Film Society, Denver, CO
- Southgate Community Players, Detroit, MI
- Waterfront Film Festival, Grand Rapids, MI
- Community Theatre of Greensboro, Greensboro/Winston-Salem, NC
- Junior League of Greenville, Greenville, SC
- Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition, Hartford, CT
- Hawaii International Film Festival, Honolulu, HI
- Houston’s Ronald McDonald House, Houston, TX
- United Way of Central Indiana, Indianapolis, IN
- Variety of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
- Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
- Wolfe Street Foundation, Inc., Little Rock, AR
- Family & Children’s Place, Louisville, KY
- Ronald McDonald House of Memphis, Memphis, TN
- Miami Beach Film Society & Cinematheque, Miami, FL
- COA Youth & Family Centers, Milwaukee, WI
- Aegis Foundation, Minneapolis, MN
- The Belcourt Theatre, Nashville, TN
- American Red Cross Southeast Louisiana Chapter, New Orleans, LA
- NYC & Company Foundation, New York, NY
- Ronald McDonald House of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, OK
- Alzheimer’s Association Midlands Chapter, Omaha, NE
- Variety – The Children’s Charity of Florida, Orlando, FL
- Palm Beach International Film Festival, Palm Beach, FL
- Volunteers of America Delaware Valley, Philadelphia, PA
- Arthritis Foundation Greater Southwest Chapter, Phoenix, AZ
- Film Action Oregon, Portland, OR
- Rhode Island International Film Festival, Providence, RI
- Theatre In The Park, Raleigh, NC
- Central Virginia Film Institute, Richmond, VA
- Capital City AIDS Fund, Sacramento, CA
- Cinema St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
- Utah AIDS Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT
- Special Olympics Texas, San Antonio, TX
- San Diego Film Foundation, San Diego, CA
- California Film Institute, San Francisco, CA
- Starlight Children’s Foundation – Washington, Seattle, WA
- Isabel’s House – Crisis Nursery of the Ozarks, Springfield, MO
- Tampa Theatre, Tampa, FL
- Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation, Tucson, AZ
- American Red Cross of the National Capital Region, Washington, D.C.
The Academy’s release adds that "last year 52 charities hosted viewing parties for the 81st Academy Awards with more than 16,000 guests in attendance nationwide. More than $3 million was raised, all of it remaining in local communities. Since its inception in 1994, the program has generated nearly $27 million in funding for a wide spectrum of charitable organizations – every cent staying within the community where it was raised."
For the 17th consecutive year, Concept Marketing Development of Santa Barbara, California, will assist the Academy in coordinating the program.
The 2010 Academy Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 7 at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center. In the United States, it’ll be televised live by ABC.
Photo: AMPAS