GOOD SPORTS
Jacqueline Kent Cooke stays in the game by honoring her father’s charitable legacy.
Jacqueline Kent Cooke, daughter of the late sports legend Jack Kent Cooke, who owned the Los Angeles Lakers, the Washington Redskins, and the LA Kings, is furthering her father’s wellknown generosity. As the face of his namesake foundation—the largest scholarship fund in the US, with an endowment of $641 million—she regularly holds intimate gatherings for the beneficiaries.
“It’s an opportunity to get to know them one-on-one and have an ongoing relationship,” Cooke says. “Listening to their inspiring stories and learning about what they’ve accomplished gives me an even deeper appreciation for my father’s legacy.”
This summer, she will also support a number of nonprofits out East, including Red Sneakers for Oakley, which raises awareness about food allergies, and the Southampton Animal Shelter. Also on her list is the Audubon Sanctuary Islands wildlife refuge, near Palm Beach, Florida. An animal lover, Cooke designs a line of luxury dog beds and has worked for Campion Platt’s renowned interiors firm.
When she was a child, her father asked her what he should do with his wealth. She replied, “You should give it to children in need.” Today Cooke says he appreciated her having those values: “He wanted me to find my passion in life and learn what the meaning of a dollar was.” To learn more about the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, visit jkcf.org.