Jamie Lee Curtis Receives Inaugural Michele & Rob Reiner Champion for Change Award;
Seven-Time Grammy Award-Winner John Mayer Delivers Special Performance

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Children’s Institute (CII) raised a record-breaking $4 million at its Annual Cape &Gown Gala on Sunday, November 8. More than 600 guests gathered at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills for a memorable evening honoring the lives and enduring legacy of Michele and Rob Reiner.

“Their love was generous, fierce and unconditional: if they loved you, you knew it.  What’s amazing is that their love extended to all children,” said Martine Singer, President and CEO of Children’s Institute. “Michele and Rob were a force field. Our mission is to continue expressing that outrage, that sense of urgency, and do something with our own loud voices.  That’s how we amplify the genius and the power of their work.”

In their joint presentation of the inaugural Michele & Rob Reiner Champion for Change Award, Jake and Romy Reiner reflected on the values and actions of their parents that inspired and defined the award.

“I love the name for this award: Champion for Change. That’s what our parents stood for. They were never satisfied with the status quo; they were always champions for change to make the world better.” said Jake Reiner. “The work my parents did for children started at home, creating a loving environment for us from the moment I was born and long after Romy was born.”

Romy Reiner spoke about the personal significance of the award and the family’s gratitude to its inaugural recipient, Jamie Lee Curtis.

“Jamie is someone who believes in the good in people, and will do everything in her power to make a situation right. She will move mountains not just because she can, but because she feels that it is the right thing to do. Her love and generosity during this time have meant more to me than she’ll ever know,” said Romy Reiner. “I truly feel that there isn’t a person better to receive this than Jamie. She is a beautiful soul inside and out and I feel honored that she is accepting this award.”

Created in partnership with their aunt, Martine Singer, the award is a lasting tribute to Michele and Rob Reiner’s extraordinary contributions to American civic life. For decades, they were influential champions for children and families. Their bold leadership helped establish First 5 California, generating billions of dollars in funding and creating a lasting investment in early childhood. The Reiners also played a pivotal role in the federal court challenge to California’s ban on marriage equality, a legal effort that helped set the stage for marriage equality nationwide.

“Rob and Michele lived so fiercely, so loudly,” said Jamie Lee Curtis, inaugural recipient of the Michele & Rob Reiner Champion for Change Award. “They were undeniable.”

Curtis’s longstanding commitment to children and families reflects the compassion, advocacy, and spirit of service that the award celebrates. Her charitable initiative, My Hand In Yours, has raised nearly $2 million for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She is also the bestselling author of 14 children’s books, including her most recent title, Just One More Sleep, published in 2024.

A special highlight of the evening was a performance by seven-time Grammy Award-winning musician John Mayer, who performed The Heart of Life and Gravity. Mayer also brings a special connection to the evening. His song “Say,” featured in Rob Reiner’s 2007 film The Bucket List, earned him the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Comedian, television host, and New York Times bestselling author Chelsea Handler brought her signature humor to the evening, sharing a personal story with guests. “Rob and Michele have brought so many of us together. They are with us, and they will remain with us,” said Handler. “So we get to celebrate the values they lived by through the work of the Children’s Institute.”

The evening was emceed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld, whose close friendship and creative partnership with Rob Reiner spanned decades, including When Harry Met Sally (1989) and Misery (1990), on which Sonnenfeld served as cinematographer. During that time, Sonnenfeld also introduced Rob to Michele Singer, marking the beginning of their lifelong friendship.

“Here’s the thing about Rob and Michelle,” said Sonnenfeld. “The combination of the two of them together were just extraordinary. They were so powerful and capable, and they cared so much about people and friends and their family.”

A 120-years of Community Transformation and Service

The Cape & Gown Gala comes as Children’s Institute celebrates its 120^th Anniversary. Founded in 1906, CII provides early childhood education, mental health services, and whole-family support to approximately 30,000 children and families across Los Angeles County each year.

Proceeds from the Gala support CII’s mission to help children and families heal from trauma, succeed in school, and build pathways to lifelong health, stability, and economic mobility.

For photos from the Gala visit:
https://dam.gettyimages.com/selects/8th-annual-cape-gown-gala

For video assets from the evening visit:
https://gettyvideo.digitalpigeon.com/msg/KveqINvfEfGXZAIhAGIvJQ/LC8n3OQPqnabO-UxoPPUDw  

Contact:
Randy Bunnao
rbunnao@childrensinstitute.org
(213) 705-8827.

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SOURCE Children’s Institute