Jerry Seinfeld Hosts First Baby Buggy Fatherhood Luncheon

Photo Credit: Getty Images for Baby Buggy

Jerry Seinfeld was absolutely the appropriate person to host Baby Buggy’s first-ever “Los Angeles Fatherhood Initiative Lunch”—his wife, Jessica, did found the organization, after all.

On Wednesday, the comedian and a slew of his A-list friends gathered at the Palm Restaurant in Beverly Hills to raise funds (totally $250,000) to support fathers in need. That children in father-absent homes are four times more likely to be poor than children in two-parent homes was the reason that Baby Buggy, a charity which takes a child-focused approach to curbing generational poverty, decided to expand its reach to focus on fathers as well.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for Baby Buggy

Seinfeld spoke about the partnership between Baby Buggy and fatherhood programs, and the success of his wife’s nonprofit, which she started 14 years ago. Jessica’s nonprofit started 14 years ago.  The audience also heard from Alan-Michael Graves, Director of Project Fatherhood at The Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII) who explained that most of their fathers don’t have resources, and that Baby Buggy’s donations, along with the fatherhood program services, help make fatherhood present on a daily basis.  Three fathers from the Fatherhood Program at CII were present and shared their personal experiences with guests.

Guests at the luncheon included the Seinfelds, as well as Jason Alexander, Judd Apatow, Jason Bateman, Seth Green, Kevin Hart, Jay Leno, Bill Maher, Gwyneth Paltrow, Michael Richards, Bob Saget, Dax Shepard, Michelle Trachtenberg, James Van Der Beek, George Wallace, David Walton, and more.  The event was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, rag & bone, and United Talent Agency.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for Baby Buggy

 The Baby Buggy Fatherhood Leadership Council is comprised of fathers who are deeply passionate about their own role as dads, and help to raise funds and awareness for the initiative.  Council members include Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Jason Bateman, Neil Blumenthal, Matt Bomer, Bruce Bozzi, Rob Buccini, Ty Burrell, David Burtka, Christian Carino, Matt Cherwin, Camille Chidiac, Common, Mark Consuelos, Shawn “Pecas” Costner, Victor Cruz, Matt Damon, Robert Downey, Jr., Eric Eisner, Jack Essig, Spike Feresten, Alex Gorsky, David Granger, Simon Halls, Neil Patrick Harris, Kevin Hart, Hugh Jackman, Mitch Jacobs, Jaha Johnson, Woody Johnson, Boris Kodjoe, Jay Leno, Greg Lippmann, Blaine Lourd, Steve Mosko, Nas, David Neville, Rob Prinz, Michael Richards, Bob Saget, Adam Scott, George Shapiro, George Stephanopoulos, Steve Stoute, Michael Strahan, Michael Tiedemann, James Van Der Beek, Dwyane Wade, Marcus Wainwright, George Wallace, Howard West, Mel Woods, and Jeffrey Wright.