HollyRod Foundation
Professional services
UnclaimedA nonprofit foundation supporting people affected by Parkinson's disease and families of children with autism.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The HollyRod Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization established in 1997 by actress Holly Robinson Peete and former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete. The couple created the foundation after witnessing the practical and financial effects of Parkinson's disease on Holly Robinson Peete's father, actor and television producer Matt Robinson. He had developed Parkinson's disease relatively young, and as the condition progressed, the family became directly involved in helping him manage everyday activities and access care. That experience shaped HollyRod's emphasis on practical assistance for people who may not have sufficient financial or medical resources. The foundation initially focused on Parkinson's disease. In 2000, its mission expanded after the Peetes' eldest son, Rodney 'RJ' Peete Jr., was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. HollyRod subsequently developed an autism-focused body of work intended to help families understand autism, find services, and obtain therapies and communication tools. The organization has also used the Peete family's public profile to promote awareness through television appearances, print media, public events, and autism-awareness activities. Holly Robinson Peete has become a prominent public advocate for autism causes, while the family's personal experience remains central to the foundation's public identity. HollyRod's Parkinson's work is organized principally through the HollyRod Parkinson's Compassionate Care Program. Established in 2002 in collaboration with the Center for Parkinson's Research and Movement Disorders at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, the program helps eligible patients with limited or no medical insurance obtain medications, treatment, medical equipment, and related services. The program is described as serving patients in the Greater Los Angeles Area, giving it a primarily regional service footprint even though the foundation's public-awareness work reaches a broader audience. Its autism initiative, HollyRod4kids, assists families of children with autism in accessing affordable treatment, therapy, information, and other support. The initiative has included fundraising partnerships, public-awareness activities, support for communication technology, and plans for a Los Angeles Compassionate Care Center for Autism. The Giving Words Campaign was developed to provide communication software and hardware to eligible autistic children who are non-speaking or minimally speaking. HollyRod4kids has also participated in collaborations involving entertainment, publishing, and consumer brands, including an autism fundraising partnership with VH1 Classic's Rock Autism and a 2010 Snapple contribution connected with Celebrity Apprentice. Fundraising has been supported by DesignCare, an annual event formerly known as DesignCure. The event brings together entertainment, medical, business, philanthropic, and affected-family communities, and has recognized individuals through awards such as the Matthew T. Robinson Award of Courage, HollyRod Media Hero Award, HollyRod4kids Champion Award, Founders Award, and Humanitarian Award. Historical reference material states that DesignCare raised more than $350,000 in 2009 and more than $500,000 in 2010, and that the event had generated more than $2 million cumulatively by that period. The foundation has also benefited from corporate and media fundraising. Target partnered with HollyRod in 2003, and Anheuser-Busch pledged $200,000 over two years in 2007, described at the time as the organization's largest single contribution. In 2010, Holly Robinson Peete competed on The Celebrity Apprentice 3 to raise money for HollyRod. Although she finished second in the competition, her campaign generated $597,893 for the foundation. HollyRod's work therefore combines direct assistance, family support, advocacy, communications access, public education, and event-based fundraising, with Parkinson's services centered in Southern California and autism programming framed for families more broadly across the United States.
History
HollyRod Foundation was created in 1997 by Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete. Its origins lay in the family's experience with Parkinson's disease. Holly Robinson Peete's father, Matt Robinson, had been living with the disease since the age of 46. As his symptoms advanced, routine tasks became increasingly difficult, and the Peete family helped provide day-to-day support. Their experience led them to establish an organization for people who faced similar needs but lacked the financial means to pay for medication, treatment, equipment, and related services. The foundation's Parkinson's work became more formally structured in 2002 through the HollyRod Parkinson's Compassionate Care Program. The program was developed with the Center for Parkinson's Research and Movement Disorders at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. It assists patients with little or no medical insurance by helping them obtain medicines, treatment, equipment, and other services. The documented service area is the Greater Los Angeles Area. Matt Robinson died in 2002, the same year in which the program's collaboration with USC was formed. HollyRod broadened its mission in 2000 after the Peetes' oldest son, Rodney 'RJ' Peete Jr., was diagnosed with autism at age three. The resulting HollyRod4kids initiative focuses on helping families of autistic children find affordable treatments and therapies, obtain information, and access practical resources. The Peete family has used television, print media, autism-awareness events, and other public platforms to explain their personal experience and encourage broader understanding of autism. Holly Robinson Peete became a particularly visible advocate for autism causes. HollyRod4kids developed several fundraising and service activities. In 2008, VH1 Classic's Rock Autism worked with the initiative on a celebrity bowl-off and silent auction. The initiative also developed the Giving Words Campaign, which provides communication software and hardware to eligible children who are non-speaking or minimally speaking. Historical plans called for a Compassionate Care Center for Autism in Los Angeles, together with a national grant program for families outside Los Angeles. The cited plans anticipated an opening and grant launch in late 2012 or early 2013, but the supplied material does not establish whether those plans were completed. Corporate partnerships have formed another part of HollyRod's funding model. Target partnered with the foundation in 2003. In 2007, Anheuser-Busch pledged $200,000 over two years, then identified as the foundation's largest single contribution. The organization has also used entertainment and consumer-brand collaborations to connect fundraising with public awareness. During the 2010 season of The Celebrity Apprentice, Holly Robinson Peete competed to benefit HollyRod and finished second. The campaign nevertheless produced $597,893 for the foundation. Snapple additionally donated $250,000 during the season finale period and released a limited Compassionberry Tea connected to the autism fundraiser. DesignCare, previously called DesignCure, is HollyRod's annual fundraising event. It brings together entertainment, medical, business, philanthropic, and affected-family communities and presents awards recognizing courage, advocacy, media work, humanitarian service, and support for autistic teenagers. Historical accounts report that the event raised more than $350,000 in 2009 and more than $500,000 in 2010, with cumulative event proceeds exceeding $2 million by that point. Named honorees in the supplied reference include Michael J. Fox, Donald Trump, and Muhammad Ali. The foundation's documented identity is therefore that of a family-founded charity combining direct assistance with advocacy and fundraising. Its two central areas are Parkinson's disease and autism. Parkinson's assistance has been concentrated in Southern California through a medical-school partnership, while the autism program has pursued family resources, communications access, awareness, and ambitions for wider grant support. The supplied sources do not provide reliable current information about staffing, finances, the operational status of every historical initiative, or the present scope of services.
- 2010
Celebrity Apprentice fundraising campaign
[1]Holly Robinson Peete raised $597,893 for HollyRod through The Celebrity Apprentice 3.
- 2008
Rock Autism collaboration
[1]VH1 Classic's Rock Autism joined HollyRod4kids for fundraising and awareness activities.
- 2007
Anheuser-Busch pledge
[1]Anheuser-Busch pledged $200,000 over two years.
- 2003
Target partnership
[1]Target partnered with the foundation.
- 2002
Parkinson's Compassionate Care Program formed
[1]HollyRod formed its Parkinson's assistance program with USC's Center for Parkinson's Research and Movement Disorders.
- 2000
Autism mission added
[1]The foundation expanded its work after the autism diagnosis of the Peetes' eldest son and established the HollyRod4kids focus.
- 1997
Foundation established
[1]Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete founded HollyRod to support people affected by Parkinson's disease and related family care needs.
Products and positioning
A family-founded nonprofit focused on practical medical, physical, emotional, and access support for people living with Parkinson's disease and families of children with autism.
Parkinson's disease assistance · 2002
HollyRod Parkinson's Compassionate Care Program
A support program created with USC's Center for Parkinson's Research and Movement Disorders. It helps Parkinson's patients with limited or no medical insurance access medication, treatment, medical equipment, and related services. The documented operating area is the Greater Los Angeles Area.
Autism family support · 2000
HollyRod4kids
The foundation's autism initiative, established after the Peete family's experience with autism, helps families seek affordable therapies, treatments, information, and practical support. Its activities have included awareness campaigns, fundraising partnerships, and technology assistance.
Assistive communication support
Giving Words Campaign
A HollyRod4kids campaign intended to provide communication software and hardware to eligible autistic children who are non-speaking or minimally speaking.
Fundraising event
DesignCare
An annual fundraising event formerly known as DesignCure. It brings together entertainment, medical, business, philanthropic, and affected-family communities and presents awards recognizing advocacy, courage, humanitarian work, and support for autism and Parkinson's causes.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010The Celebrity Apprentice 3 fundraising campaign
United States
Holly Robinson Peete participated in the reality competition to raise money for HollyRod.
Outcome. She finished second but raised $597,893 for the foundation.
- 2010Snapple Compassionberry Tea fundraiser
United States
Snapple supported autism-family services with a $250,000 donation and a limited release of Compassionberry Tea associated with Holly Robinson Peete.
Outcome. The donation was designated to benefit families of children with autism.
- 2008Rock Autism collaboration
United States
VH1 Classic's Rock Autism partnered with HollyRod4kids for a celebrity bowling event and silent auction to raise autism funds and awareness.
Brand decisions
2002
Create a partnered Parkinson's care programStrategyBackground
The foundation sought to help Parkinson's patients who could not afford medical care and associated services.
Action taken
It formed the HollyRod Parkinson's Compassionate Care Program with USC's Center for Parkinson's Research and Movement Disorders.
Aftermath
The program began assisting eligible patients in the Greater Los Angeles Area with medication, treatment, equipment, and related services.
2000
Expand from Parkinson's disease to autism supportStrategyBackground
The Peetes' eldest son was diagnosed with autism at age three, giving the family direct experience with the needs of autistic children and their caregivers.
Action taken
HollyRod added autism awareness and family-support work through HollyRod4kids.
Aftermath
The foundation developed autism fundraising, therapy-access, communications support, and public-education activities.
Sources2 sources
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