The now deceased Clothes Off Our Back Foundation was founded by actors/spouses Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) to benefit children’s charities. Their idea in raising money was fairly simple and it resonated with other celebrities. Stars donated their Emmy and Golden Globes attire and Clothes Off Our Back auctioned it online for children’s charities. The foundation took aim to impact the welfare of as many children as possible with the charities it supported. The sale of a dress worn by Jennifer Aniston funded immunizations for 50,000 African children. Each year since, Clothes Off Our Back has selected three children’s charities – one international, one national and one local to the Los Angeles area – to which they can deliver the most impact. The 2009 beneficiaries, for example, were Hope North, a rehabilitation center for Uganda’s child soldiers; Feeding America (previously Second Harvest), a U.S. food bank; and The Art of Elysium, an L.A.-based program for critically ill children.

In 2007 and 2009, Meryl Streep’s gowns that she wore to the Golden Globe Awards (made by Caroline Herrerra and Angel Sanchez) were auctioned at ClothesOff Our Back. In an interview with Daily News Los Angeles, Kaczmarek stated that, “Meryl Streep has always been generous. I’m always happy when people I know get nominated, because we can ask them to donate their dress.”