By Robert Goldrich

For the third straight year, the ad industry recently came together for 100 Pieces, a creatively driven fundraiser to benefit Safe Place for Youth (SPY), a homeless center in Venice, Calif., which opens its doors each year to thousands of people under the age of 25 on the streets of Los Angeles, providing shelter, food, healthcare and other services.

Notables from the advertising agency and filmmaking sectors collectively donated more than 100 pieces of artwork they had made ranging from painting to photographs, sculptures, furniture and assorted other creations of artistic value.

A silent auction of the pieces this holiday season generated $70,000 for SPY; that’s up from the $63,000 raised in 2016, and the $50,000 collected in 2015, the event’s inaugural year.

I remember covering year one, and to now see what has emerged and sustained itself is a testament to how this industry can marshal its energies, resources and creativity for good.

The original grass-roots effort was organized by Deutsch LA chief creative officer Pete Favat, his wife, SPY volunteer and former agency artisan Amy, and independent rep Melissa Ross.

They reached out to creatives, directors, producers and the like throughout Greater L.A.—and even wound up getting donated pieces from out-of-town markets—on a tight turnaround time of about three weeks.

The first 100 Pieces event drew more than 500 people, with 100-plus pieces sold and the aforementioned $50,000 benefiting the good work of SPY.

Shortly after that inaugural fundraiser, Pete Favat said he and his colleagues planned to make this an annual event, which they have since accomplished.

Artists from competing agencies, commercial production houses and assorted other suppliers formed a united front to help bring 100 Pieces to fruition and it has since built momentum.

At the time Favat made what have proved to be perennially relevant remarks, particularly during the holidays. He observed, “We may spend day after day competing against each other but at the end of the day we are a community and have to realize how lucky we are to be part of something special, that we can team to do special things, that we can express our gratitude by helping those who need it.”

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