Selena Gomez brought the fourth annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit to the Hollywood Palladium on Oct. 14, and the night brought in nearly $3 million for youth mental health initiatives. Between paddle raises and a live auction, the room showed up in a big way for a cause Gomez has been building since 2020, when she launched the fund alongside Rare Beauty before the brand had sold a single product. To date, the fund has raised more than $30 million for nonprofit partners around the world.
The emotional highlight came with the debut of the Katherine Short Legacy Award, presented alongside Martin Short in memory of his daughter Katherine, a clinical social worker who died by suicide in February at age 42. The inaugural award went to La Familia Counseling Center, a Sacramento nonprofit that has served its community for more than five decades. Gomez, who stars with Short on Only Murders in the Building, kept the focus on the mission, saying mental health is universal and giving back is something special.
Performances from Bella Kay and Leon Bridges rounded out the evening, but the message stayed front and center: support for mental health is something everyone can contribute to, whether through donations, conversation, or simply checking in on the people you love. If this story resonated with you, what’s one small way you plan to support mental health in your own circle?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.