For Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, Alzheimer’s disease became a personal concern long before it became the focus of their charitable work. Lauren’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, an experience that eventually led the couple to establish an organisation supporting families affected by the condition. Their charity, Hilarity for Charity (HFC), has since developed programmes covering caregiver assistance, brain health education and research into prevention. Its 2025 annual report records a year of expanded outreach, with 4.4 million people reached through its programmes, events and online community. The organisation also provided thousands of hours of relief for people caring for loved ones at home.
How Lauren Miller Rogen’s family experience led to Hilarity for Charity
The story behind Hilarity for Charity began with Lauren Miller Rogen’s family.
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Her mother, Adele Miller, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, bringing the effects of the condition into the couple’s personal lives. Rather than limiting their involvement to raising awareness, Seth and Lauren decided to build an organisation that could help people dealing with similar circumstances.They established Hilarity for Charity in 2012, using comedy and entertainment to bring attention to a disease that affects both patients and the people who care for them. Seth Rogen’s public profile helped attract audiences, while Lauren became closely involved in developing the organisation’s work. Its activities gradually expanded beyond fundraising events to include practical assistance for caregivers, educational initiatives and support for brain health research.The organisation’s approach recognises that Alzheimer’s affects entire families. Relatives often take on substantial responsibilities as a person’s memory and ability to manage everyday activities decline. Finding time for work, household responsibilities and personal needs can become difficult for those providing care.
Respite grants and emergency aid form a key part of HFC’s work
One of HFC’s main areas of work is helping family caregivers obtain temporary breaks from their responsibilities. Its Caregiver Respite Grant Programme provides financial assistance that can be used to arrange care for a loved one, allowing relatives to step away for a period without leaving the person unsupported.According to its 2025 annual report, the organisation awarded 200 respite care grants, representing 26,000 hours of care. Its headline figures also record more than 550,000 hours of in-home care relief awarded through the programme. These figures appear as separate measures in the report, with the 26,000 hours referring to grants awarded during the year.HFC also provided emergency assistance to families facing sudden financial difficulties. In 2025, it distributed 18 emergency grants worth more than $43,000 in direct support. The assistance followed events including the Los Angeles wildfires and flooding in North Carolina, when some caregivers and families affected by dementia faced additional disruption.The organisation said its response developed into a wider commitment to helping families manage unexpected circumstances. Its partnership with the Judy Jane Foundation helped support this work.
Support groups give caregivers a place to share their experiences
Financial assistance is only one part of the support HFC offers. The organisation also runs weekly groups where caregivers can discuss the demands of looking after someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.In 2025, approximately 500 caregivers took part in 37 weekly support groups. The sessions included dedicated spaces for different communities and circumstances, including Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) caregivers, bereaved caregivers, LGBTQIA+ families and Spanish-speaking participants. There were also groups for people caring for someone with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).HFC reported that around 300 caregivers also participated in more than 70 Caregiver Community Lounges. These gatherings covered different aspects of caregiving and offered opportunities for people to exchange information and discuss challenges with others in similar situations.The organisation has also begun extending its respite care work into adult day services and support for professional caregivers. This reflects an effort to reach beyond relatives providing care at home and address other parts of the support system around people living with dementia.
HFCUniverse takes brain health education to younger audiences
Education became another major part of the charity’s activities in 2025, particularly through HFCUniverse, its online learning platform. The programme combines scientific information with entertainment to introduce high school and college students to brain health, Alzheimer’s disease and prevention.The platform is free to access and allows learners to complete courses at their own pace. HFC reported that more than 14,000 people had used HFCUniverse by the end of 2025, representing a 3,000 per cent increase since 2023.The charity also worked to turn some of those learners into advocates within their own communities. Its Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s (YMAA) network had 100 chapters across the United States and internationally by the end of the year, following a 56.25 per cent increase in the number of chapters formed during 2025.A total of 77 young people were certified as Peer Brain Health Leaders through the programme’s curriculum. More than 2,000 students also engaged with the growing chapter network, learning about brain health and taking part in advocacy activities.The initiative gives young participants an opportunity to discuss dementia and prevention with their peers, rather than leaving those conversations solely to medical professionals and older generations.
Documentary and community events extend the charity’s reach
HFC also used film, live performances and conversations to introduce its work to wider audiences. One of its projects was Taking Care, a documentary examining the experiences of people caring for loved ones. The organisation hosted its Los Angeles premiere, bringing together caregivers, advocates and supporters for a screening and discussion.The film subsequently reached an estimated audience of more than 75,000 people by the end of the first quarter, through community screenings, educational partnerships, streaming services and national distribution. It became available on Amazon, Google Play and Apple TV, while a partnership with AARP helped extend its reach.Another initiative launched in 2025 was At the Table, a video series featuring caregivers, scientists, advocates and people personally affected by Alzheimer’s. The conversations addressed the realities of dementia, the responsibilities involved in caregiving and questions surrounding brain health.Live events remained an important fundraising route. HFC’s annual Friendsgiving gathering featured performances by Tig Notaro, Kumail Nanjiani, Hayley Williams and magician Asi Wind. The event raised $1.3 million for the organisation’s work supporting caregivers, expanding brain health education and helping families affected by dementia.Its community events also reached audiences in different parts of the country. In New York, the annual Comedy Night raised nearly $100,000. In Los Angeles, HFC Pride Night returned with Drag Bingo hosted by Laganja Estranja, with appearances by Seth and Lauren Rogen. The event generated more than $30,000 for caregiver programmes and inclusive resources for LGBTQIA+ families.
A year of expanded support and public engagement
The organisation reported raising $31 million in 2025 to support family caregivers, brain health education and prevention research. Across its programmes, public events and online community, HFC reached approximately 4.4 million people.For Seth and Lauren Rogen, the organisation grew out of an experience within their own family. More than a decade after its establishment, Hilarity for Charity is working across several areas of Alzheimer’s support, with its 2025 report documenting the scale of that activity and the families and communities it aims to reach.
