Homelessness charity head ‘humbled’ by Alex Trebek’s $100K donation: ‘It really speaks to the kind of man that he is’ – Yahoo Entertainment

Alex Trebeks personal health struggles havent halted his generosity to those less fortunate.

The Jeopardy! host, who has been fighting stage IV pancreatic cancer, has donated $100,000 to the Los Angeles-based Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, a non-profit that works to to prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty, hunger and homelessness.

Ken Craft, the president and CEO of the charity, tells Yahoo Entertainment that Trebek had quietly and without fanfare been making donations to the group for several years. Amid Hope of the Valleys latest expansion over the last 10 years, it has opened 12 facilities, with three more opening in upcoming months, doubling its sleeping capacity Craft reached out to top donors in a plea for financial help and one day his phone rang.

I was sitting at my desk in January and I get a phone call and the gentleman on the other line said, Ken, this is Alex Trebek, Craft recalled. The game show host said he had been keeping tabs on what the organization was doing and requested a tour of the North Hollywood shelter, one of the new facilities.

Needless to say, Craft obliged, recalling how Trebek, 79, pulled up to the facility in his Ram truck wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, a ball cap and glasses. I hardly recognized him, he said. Im always used to seeing him in a suit on Jeopardy!, which Trebek has hosted since 1984.

Alex Trebek, on the set of Jeopardy!, made a large donation to the Los Angeles-based non-profit Hope of the Valley, saying he liked what the group was doing to help combat homelessness. (Photo: Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)

Craft showed him the facility, which will house 84 people, and all its amenities. And then they drove to a second facility thats in the works and toured that as well. The men parted after Trebek said he wasnt feeling so well, around the time he was having trouble with his chemo medications, but said he would be in touch in a few weeks.

And several weeks later, Trebek called again, inquiring about the financials of the charity from Crafts salary ($105,000) to the overall budget. Craft offered to provide the TV personality with audited financials, which he did, and soon after Trebek invited him to his house. At the meeting, it was apparent to Craft that Trebek had done his research on the non-profit.

He had printed out our financials, Craft recalled, and said, If Im reading this correctly, you make about 40 percent of your revenue from your thrift store. Is that correct? I said, Yes it is. He said, I like that. Youre earning money. He pointed out some other things. Then he said, By the way, the reason why I asked you how much you make is because I supported another charity at one point and after the fact, I learned that the CEO was making $450,000. I just dont think thats a good use of non-profit finances. It was just great conversation, and he said, I really like what youre doing.

Trebek then presented Craft with an envelope inside a check for $100,000 and said he hoped it would help with the expansion. Craft said it moved me emotionally and with tears in my eyes he thanked him, including after getting permission with a hug.

According to Craft, Trebek said he became interested in the charity because while driving around L.A. he noticed an increased number of homeless and felt he needed to do something to contribute and help. Craft said he will remain absolutely humbled and honored and eternally grateful Trebek chose Hope of the Valley, which he founded a decade ago.

Trebek also invited Craft and his wife to a taping of Jeopardy!, taking time during a commercial break to tell the audience that while he didnt usually do this type of thing, he wanted to call attention to a couple here that Im incredibly proud of, Craft recalled Trebek saying. Theyre doing great work in the fight against homelessness and I believe in them and I support them. They were then called up to the set for further praise and a keepsake photo op.

It just moved me because here he is he has his own challenges, his own health issues that hes working through and yet instead of it being about Alex, its about others, Craft said. His focus is outward to the community and helping those who are suffering. I think it really speaks to the kind of man that he is. Not only is he generous, hes compassionate, hes caring but hes also thoughtful. He wanted to do due diligence to make sure that we are a good organization and its a good investment of his finances.

Craft said he got Trebeks approval to make his generosity public with the hope that generosity breeds generosity. And he also got the OK to name the largest gathering room at the new North Hollywood (NoHo) facility after Trebek and his wife, Jean.

Trebek plans to be there when the Alex and Jean Trebek Multipurpose Room opens, right now scheduled for June.

In a statement to Yahoo, Trebek says, Homelessness is a serious problem. I wanted to do something, so I researched this charity, visited their facility, and personally saw the good work they are doing, and wanted to help. I hope others will do what they can as well.

Last March, Trebek went public with his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. With a fighting spirit, he underwent chemo and it was deemed a success, but in September he had a setback and had to begin another round of chemo. In January, he shared that his doctors had to switch up one chemo drug he was on because it was killing him.

Trebek, who doesnt plan to retire anytime soon, has also said amid his battle that some days are better than others. But having the support of so many people around the globe certainly helps.

Some people would say, Thats a bad deal that Alex has got,' Trebek said last month. But there are a lot of people out there who have been informed that they have cancer, they have heart problems, serious other diseases, they have Parkinsons, whatever, you name it. But they have to deal with it, and thats what I have to [do].

He went on to say hes humbled by all the love and had no idea that our show and myself had such an impact on the lives of so many people out there.

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Homelessness charity head 'humbled' by Alex Trebek's $100K donation: 'It really speaks to the kind of man that he is' - Yahoo Entertainment