Exceptional Children's Foundation Marks 80 Years of Inclusive Communities and Lifespan Services at Los Angeles Gala

June 17 event at Skirball Cultural Center honors Jenni Kayne and Richard Ehrlich and supports ECF programs serving nearly 4,000 people annually.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Exceptional Children’s Foundation, one of California’s most comprehensive nonprofit providers of lifespan services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and other special needs, will celebrate its 80th Anniversary Gala on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

The milestone evening will honor Jenni Kayne and Richard Ehrlich for their continued dedication to children and adults with special needs and for carrying forward a longstanding family legacy of philanthropy. Jenni Kayne’s connection to ECF reflects a remarkable, multi-generational commitment. Her parents, Ric and Suzanne Kayne, along with Fred and Lenore Kayne, and her grandfather, Jerry Kayne, were instrumental in launching the Kayne Eras School, which later merged with ECF to expand and strengthen services for the community. Ten years ago, Ric and Suzanne Kayne were honored at this very gala, making this recognition a meaningful full-circle moment for the family. Today, Jenni and her husband, Richard, remain dedicated to advancing the mission of ECF.

Founded in 1946 by a small group of parents who created the first daycare and training program for children with developmental disabilities in Los Angeles, ECF has grown into a regional model for disability inclusion, education, employment, independence, and community-based support. Today, ECF serves nearly 4,000 children, adults, and families through 14 service sites, in clients’ homes and in community settings throughout Los Angeles County.
The gala arrives at a defining moment for disability inclusion. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 1.3 billion people, or 1 in 6 people worldwide, experience significant disability. Against that global backdrop, ECF’s 80-year history represents a Los Angeles-born response to one of the most urgent human-service needs of the modern era: ensuring that people of all abilities are supported, valued, educated, employed and included throughout every stage of life.

“For 80 years, ECF has helped children, adults, and families move from uncertainty to possibility,” said Veronica Arteaga, President and CEO of Exceptional Children’s Foundation. “This anniversary is not only a celebration of what ECF has built, but a call to protect and expand the services that allow people with special needs to learn, work, live more independently, and participate fully in their communities.”

Funds raised through the 80th Anniversary Gala will support ECF’s full spectrum of programs, including early intervention services for young children, Kayne Eras School, therapeutic and mental health services, adult employment and workforce development programs, Art Centers, community integration, residential services, and family support.

ECF’s Kayne Eras School provides specialized K-12 education for students ages 5 to 22 whose needs cannot be effectively met in traditional school settings. Its adult programs include Exceptional Works, which helps adults with developmental disabilities build the skills, confidence, and experience needed to pursue meaningful employment. ECF also operates four Art Centers across Los Angeles County, where artists with developmental disabilities receive fine arts training, mentorship, and opportunities to exhibit and sell their work.

“ECF’s work is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: every person deserves the opportunity to reach their greatest potential,” Arteaga added. “The next 80 years will require bold community investment, strong partnerships, and a renewed commitment to building a society where people of all abilities are included.”

The Exceptional Children’s Foundation 80th Anniversary Gala begins at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Sponsorship opportunities, tickets, and donation information are available through the ECF 80th Anniversary Gala page.

About Exceptional Children’s Foundation
Exceptional Children’s Foundation provides educational, therapeutic, vocational, residential and supportive services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and other special needs throughout Los Angeles County. Founded in 1946, ECF is dedicated to helping individuals reach their greatest potential and live as independently as possible. Today, ECF serves nearly 4,000 children, adults and families through 14 service sites, in clients’ homes and in community settings across Los Angeles County. Learn more at ECF.net.

About Jenni Kayne
Jenni Kayne a tastemaker and creative force whose distinct aesthetic has helped define California living. Her intuitive style and unwavering point of view inform every part of her world, from her iconic fashion and home collections to beauty, entertaining, and hospitality. Grounded in natural textures, calming neutrals, and timeless design, Jenni’s world reflects a philosophy of intentional, elevated living: rooted in ease, defined by quality, and guided by California in every sense.

About Richard Ehrlich
Richard Ehrlich has been a leading figure in luxury real estate for more than 24 years, successfully working with buyers and sellers alike from the Hollywood Hills to Malibu. Richard began his career in 1999 with Westside Estate Agency and was made a partner in 2013, having contributed close to a billion dollars in sales throughout his continued tenure with the firm. Richard enthusiastically joined Carolwood in 2022. Today, he lives in Brentwood with what he considers to be his proudest accomplishment: his three children, whom he shares with his wife, lifestyle designer Jenni Kayne.

About Kristine Lazar
KRISTINE LAZAR, CBS, is an Emmy award-winner. Kristine grew up on the beaches of San Diego and went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from UC Berkeley. She has worked all over California, and in 2007, Kristine landed in Los Angeles. In 2017, she helped launch CBS News California Investigates. Kristine has won 3 Emmys - in 2007 for a piece she did on child prostitution; in 2008 for her reporting on the fatal Metrolink accident which led to the passage of federal legislation limiting cell phone use by conductors and engineers on trains; and in 2014 for a feature on a middle-aged woman with Down syndrome, who finally received a surgery that enabled her to dance. Kristine is the proud mom to a boy and twin girls. And she is married to a twin!

About Jay Leno
JAY LENO's acclaimed TV late-night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children's book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist. Jay Leno is widely characterized as "the hardest working man in show business."
Jay Leno's late-night television ratings domination included two decades as the host of the #1-rated "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" -after the first two years, Jay Leno never lost a single ratings year in which he served as host.
Leno currently produces and is the host of JAY LENO'S GARAGE YOUTUBE CHANNEL, which has an international following and has garnered several Emmy Awards and nominations for Outstanding Special Class-Short-Format Nonfiction Programs.
His product line, JAY LENO'S GARAGE ADVANCED VEHICLE CARE, launched in December of 2016 and has been well-received by the Automotive Industry worldwide. Products are available on www.lenosgarage.com and at various retailers.
Jay Leno also hosted "YOU BET YOUR LIFE" which aired first run syndication from 2021-2023.
This comedy game show was co-hosted by Jay's longtime Tonight Show bandleader, Kevin Eubanks, and features strangers teaming up to answer a series of trivia questions with the goal of winning thousands of dollars.
When he's not on TV, Leno performs more than 100 stand-up shows annually across the country and internationally; participates in numerous charity and corporate events, does voice-overs for animated series, pens children's books, and writes a monthly column in various automotive magazines. And in his "spare" time (as if he has any), he enjoys working on his collection of classic cars and motorcycles. In fact, he has built a number of cars, including an acclaimed eco-car, in his eco-friendly green garage.
Leno is the recipient of many honors, including Emmy, People's Choice, and TV Guide awards, Harris Poll selection as most popular star on television, the Hasty Pudding Award at Harvard University, The Mark Twain Prize, recipient of the Patriot Award given by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and being the first person to drive the pace car of all major NASCAR events.
He and his wife, Mavis, an ardent human rights activist, live in Los Angeles.

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