HERSHEY film backs drive to send 1 million kids to theaters

A new HERSHEY-related effort is using a Sundance private screening to rally donors, filmmakers, and business leaders around a goal of giving one million underprivileged children across the U.S. tickets to the film. The campaign ties the movie’s release to Milton and Catherine Hershey’s legacy of child-focused philanthropy and aims to expand state by state.

Why it matters: - The campaign links a commercial film release to a national charitable push aimed at giving disadvantaged children access to a story centered on hope, belonging, and opportunity. - Organizers are trying to turn one movie into a broad philanthropic drive, with the goal of reaching one million children across America.

What happened: - A private viewing for the upcoming feature film HERSHEY was hosted recently by Harbor Fund at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. - Donors, business leaders, and filmmakers attended the event around a shared mission to fund movie tickets for underprivileged children. - Angel Studios is helping distribute the film and promote the ticket-giving effort. - The initiative is framed as a way to help one million disadvantaged children experience HERSHEY in theaters.

The details: - A Utah benefactor pledged to cover movie tickets for disadvantaged children throughout the state. - Organizers want philanthropists in other states to follow the same model until the campaign reaches one million children. - The effort is tied to the legacy of Milton and Catherine "Kitty" Hershey, including the founding of the Hershey Industrial School in 1909. - The school was created to provide education, stability, and opportunity for children facing difficult circumstances. - Kirk Tanner, president and CEO of The Hershey Company, said the Milton Hershey School remains central to the company’s community identity. - Tanner said the school serves more than 2,200 students living on campus who receive an education at no cost to their families. - Sharon Paul, co-CEO of Dandelion Media, said the Milton Hershey School does more than educate children and provides belonging. - Lindsay Smoot Hadley, co-founder and CEO of Harbor Fund, said stories can inspire generosity and create cultural and societal change. - Matt Peterson, Harbor Fund co-founder, served as an executive producer on Hershey and helped unite philanthropists around the mission. - Jordan Harmon, president and co-founder of Angel Studios, said the partnership among The Hershey Company, Harbor Fund, Angel Studios, and the filmmakers has strong potential to create impact this November. - HERSHEY is directed by Mark Waters, whose credits include Mean Girls and Mr. Popper’s Penguins. - Sharon Paul and Timothy Michael Hayes wrote the screenplay. - Finn Wittrock stars as Milton Hershey, and Alexandra Daddario stars as Kitty Hershey. - The film is produced by Dandelion Media in collaboration with the Hershey Entities and in association with Aloe Entertainment and Peachtree Group.

Between the lines: - The campaign is using the film as a vehicle for social impact, not just box office attention. - The message mirrors the Hersheys’ historic emphasis on caring for children, which gives the drive a built-in emotional and brand narrative. - The private event suggests organizers are testing a donation model that could scale through state-level pledges and corporate partnerships.

What's next: - Supporters are being invited to donate movie tickets so children across the country can see the film. - Organizers expect the effort to expand as more philanthropists and local benefactors take part. - HERSHEY is set to arrive in November, making the next phase of the campaign tied to the film’s release window.

The bottom line: - The HERSHEY campaign is trying to convert a movie launch into a nationwide act of giving, with the goal of turning one theater outing into a lesson in belonging for one million children.