History
The Story of Ad Relief
Since the early 70’s, Ad Relief has been known as both AIEF (Advertising Industry Emergency Fund) and Ad Relief of Greater Los Angeles.
AIEF was created in 1972 when funds remained after the ad industry had come together to help a well-known and beloved media planner and buyer who had been sick and lost all of her money and assets dealing with her illness.
Dennis Holt, CEO and Founder of Western International Media, and George Green, a Sales Manager at KABC, then and now a top radio station, created a specific charity event at KTLA Television to give resources and money to members of the LA media community in times of severe need.
It was created to lend a helping hand, not a handout, and assist other advertising and media people to get back on their feet again.
Over the years, Ad Relief has helped hundreds of ad professionals, most of whom had never thought they would need Ad Relief.
“Advertising professionals helping advertising pros. What a great group. Advertising and media are one of the few industries that give back and care about their brothers and sisters.”
- Dennis Holt, Ad Relief Co-founder
“After all these years I love that our advertising group we created is still involved in the community. Giving a helping hand to advertising people in need.”
- George Green, Ad Relief Co-Founder (2020)
AIEF was created as a 501c3 non-profit charitable organization within the State of California to help advertising industry colleagues and peers who may have an accident or experience some form of life crisis. Having exhausted their personal assets, these potential “beneficiaries” may be unable to work, unable to afford outstanding bills, whose rent and medical expenses may have mounted up. It is the charity’s Board of Directors’ responsibility to respond to all requests for help in a timely manner, to evaluate each person’s precise circumstances while maintaining confidentiality of every potential beneficiary, and to determine a course of action – whether or not assistance shall be granted. Further, it is the Board’s fiduciary duty to assure that funds and activities are carefully managed so as to maintain compliance with the State of California.
For over 50 years, Ad Relief has granted emergency funds confidentially to hundreds of individuals in the greater Los Angeles advertising community. Since its inception, the organization has raised money with events, memberships and agency donations.
Over the years, Ad Relief has evolved to maintain relevancy and to meet various challenges as they arose. Such luminaries as Jay Chiat and Lee Clow have served on its board of directors.
The name was changed (but not its purpose) in 2007 to Ad Relief of Greater Los Angeles following a research study that showed the organization’s supporters were no longer relating to the term “Ad Industry” and to differentiate the organization geographically from similar organizations in San Diego and San Francisco.