LOS ANGELES, CA – For Immediate Release, February 17, 2026– Venice Family Clinic will celebrate two extraordinary champions of health and art at its 2026 HEART Gala on Saturday, April 18. The event, to be held at 3Labs in Culver City, will honor philanthropist Anissa Balson alongside The Hearst Foundations with the HEART Award. Television legend Chuck Lorre will receive the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. A special guest performer will close out the evening.
The evening represents a milestone moment for the Venice Family Clinic HEART (Health + Art) initiative, which celebrates how creativity and compassion intersect to transform health care access across Los Angeles. Since 1979, art has been woven into the fabric of the organization—from its grassroots Venice Art Walk (now the Venice Family Clinic Art Exhibition + Auction) to today’s premier fundraising event bringing together entertainment luminaries, business leaders, and philanthropists united in service to communities in need.
As the Clinic emerges from unprecedented challenges—including devastating wildfires, federal and state-level funding uncertainty, and growing food insecurity affecting 38 percent of screened patients—the HEART Gala celebrates the enduring partnerships and visionary leadership that enable the organization to remain a critical lifeline for 45,000 patients annually.
Anissa Balson will receive the HEART Award alongside The Hearst Foundations for an extraordinary 50-year partnership with Venice Family Clinic. As a board member of The Hearst Foundations, Balson has championed transformative investments in the Clinic since The Hearst Foundations first began supporting the organization in 1977—making this one of the most enduring philanthropic partnerships in Los Angeles health care history.
The partnership has proven vital through both growth and crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic and in response to last year’s Los Angeles wildfires, The Hearst Foundations provided emergency grants that ensured uninterrupted care for the community's most vulnerable residents. Founded in the 1940s, The Hearst Foundations support outstanding nonprofits across culture, education, health care, and social services, helping ensure individuals from all backgrounds have opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives.
"Venice Family Clinic has been a beacon of hope and healing in Los Angeles for nearly five decades," said Anissa Balson. "Through The Hearst Foundations' longstanding partnership, we've witnessed firsthand how access to quality health care transforms lives and strengthens communities. As both a philanthropist and an artist, I deeply believe in the HEART initiative's mission—that creativity and compassion are inseparable forces for good in the world."
Balson, who holds a B.F.A. from the Otis–Parsons School of Design, is herself a contributing artist to the annual Venice Family Clinic Art Exhibition + Auction. Her leadership extends across Los Angeles' cultural landscape, with roles at the Getty Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the Los Angeles Library Foundation.
Chuck Lorre will receive Venice Family Clinic's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his extraordinary philanthropic work that reflects an over-30 year commitment to healing and human connection, embodying the ethos of Venice Family Clinic.
Among Lorre's many contributions was the establishment of the Robert Levine Family Health Center in 2004, named for his late father, which expanded prenatal, teen, and family services. In 2017, Lorre underwrote major renovations at the center, adding additional exam rooms, counseling spaces, and health education capacity. More recently, Lorre funded the comprehensive renovation of the Clinic's flagship on Rose Avenue, now named the Chuck Lorre Rose Avenue Health and Wellness Center. Reopened in 2023, this location serves over 11,000 patients annually and includes dedicated pediatric areas, behavioral health and substance use services, community spaces, and amenities for patients experiencing homelessness.
“Starting with my early days as a musician, to my career writing sitcoms, I've tried to bring a little bit of light into the world,” said Chuck Lorre. “When I first became acquainted with the Venice Family Clinic, it was immediately clear that they’ve been bringing that light for many, many years. And I wanted to be a part of that effort. It has been my honor and privilege to be associated with this incredible institution.”
Actress, singer, and songwriter Jackie Tohn will host the evening. Known for her roles in GLOW and her scene-stealing performance in Nobody Wants This, Tohn will bring her signature warmth and humor to the HEART stage. Tohn's connection to the organization reflects her deep commitment to community health and the arts. Her dynamic presence ensures the evening will be as entertaining as it is meaningful, guiding guests through a night of celebration, storytelling, and impact.
"This year's HEART Gala represents everything we stand for at Venice Family Clinic," said Dr. Mitesh Popat, CEO of Venice Family Clinic. "In a year defined by uncertainty—from devastating wildfires to federal and state-level funding challenges—Anissa Balson and The Hearst Foundations' half-century of partnership has sustained us through every challenge and enabled extraordinary growth. Chuck Lorre's transformative gifts have modernized our facilities and expanded our reach to thousands more patients. Together, these honorees demonstrate that when art, generosity, and vision come together, we can create lasting change. No matter how the landscape shifts, we'll continue to be here—providing care, resources, and advocacy for our patients and communities every step of the way. We're grateful to celebrate these remarkable individuals and the thousands of patients whose lives they've touched."
Venice Family Clinic serves 45,000 patients annually across 20 locations spanning Venice, Santa Monica, Culver City, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Carson, Hawthorne, Gardena, and Inglewood. The organization provides comprehensive medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, substance use treatment, pharmacy services, street medicine, and community wellness programs—including free food distributions that provided more than 916,000 pounds of healthy food monthly throughout 2025.
The 2026 HEART Gala will feature a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and the award presentation at 7:00 p.m. For additional information about tickets or sponsorships contact Angie Miranda at 310.664.7920 or AngelicaMiranda@mednet.ucla.edu or visit https://venicefamilyclinic.org/heart26/
About Venice Family Clinic
Venice Family Clinic is a nonprofit community health center that is a leader in providing comprehensive, high-quality health care to more than 45,000 people in need annually, regardless of their income, insurance or immigration status. The Clinic serves an area that spans the Westside of Los Angeles, Inglewood, the South Bay and everywhere in between. It has a network of clinic locations and Early Head Start centers in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Inglewood, Culver City, Redondo Beach, Carson, Gardena, Torrance and Hawthorne, plus mobile clinics and an expansive street medicine program to reach people experiencing homelessness. The Clinic’s comprehensive care also includes mental health services, dental care, vision services, substance use treatment, prescription medications, domestic violence counseling, HIV services, healthy food distributions, health education, health insurance enrollment, child development services and more. For more information, please visit VeniceFamilyClinic.org and follow on Facebook, X and Instagram.