David Angelo, founder/chairman of agency David&Goliath, is accustomed to successfully working with the production, post and music communities. But he brought a new dimension to that collaborative bond in his capacity as founder of another organization—Today, I’m Brave which last month held its 100Roofs Fundraising Gala in Los Angeles.

Hosted by actors/activists Ramon Rodriguez and Rosie Perez, the event raised more than $500,000 for the nonprofit’s key initiative for 2018—the 100Roofs Project to rebuild 100 roofs in Puerto Rico by the end of the year. This helps to replenish in part the many homes that were devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Today, I’m Brave is working on the undertaking in tandem with disaster relief organization Heart 9/11.

Among the sponsors of the gala—highlighted by a live auction, salsa dancing, celebrity appearances, and a performance by Grammy-winning band Oxomatli—were a number of commercialmaking houses spanning production, post, VFX and music. They included Interrogate, Jamm, Arts & Sciences, Bigger Pictures, Therapy Studios, Union Editorial, Human, Barking Owl, Fell Visual Effects and Sanctuary Content. 

In addition to monetary support, there were several in-kind donations, including ad placements from Twitter and a billboard from OUTFRONT Media that went up in Hollywood on the one year anniversary of Hurricanes Maria and Irma to commemorate and raise funds for the hurricane victims. The billboard was supported by donated digital billboards throughout L.A. David&Goliath client Chicken of the Sea International is donating more than 10,000 cans of shelf stable seafood, including tuna and sardines, to both support and sustain the 100Roofs Project volunteers on the ground and the Puerto Rico community at large.

“Our goal is to redefine the model of philanthropic marketing,” said Angelo. “This is a new paradigm for brands, celebrity influencers, production companies and non-profits to come together for a unique kind of cause marketing that effects real change in communities that need it most, in this case Puerto Rico. With 60,000 families living under blue tarps instead of roofs a year after Hurricane Maria and Irma devastated Puerto Rico, we wanted to not only provide an immediate solution by rebuilding roofs, we wanted to provide a sustainable one by teaching Puerto Ricans the skills to rebuild roofs in their communities. Those are two tangible outcomes that people can rally around and support, and they did, by the hundreds.”