Alex Trebek’s son, Matthew Trebek, has donated much of his father’s “Jeopardy!” wardrobe to a nonprofit group in New York City that helps formerly homeless men and others get back on their feet.
In this early part of 2021, as our nation looks with hope to a brighter future, it’s a good news story with staying power.
Alex Trebek passed away in November 2020 after fighting a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. He was the beloved host of the popular “Jeopardy!” TV game show for nearly 40 years.
He was also a philanthropist and was dedicated to his charity work and giving back to others.
Which, perhaps, is what inspired Trebek’s own son to donate a large assortment of clothes—14 suits, 58 dress shirts, and 300 neckties, not to mention shoes, belts, dress slacks, and other items—to the Doe Fund, a New York City nonprofit.
The fund helps men who were previously homeless, incarcerated or addicted find a new path to a new life, new work, and new happiness.
“The Doe Fund made perfect sense, since these are guys who are going on job interviews and need second chances,” Matthew Trebek, a New York restaurateur, told The New York Times.
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The younger Trebek is a 2013 graduate of Fordham University in New York. In addition to Alex Trebek’s other charity work, the Trebek family created a scholarship fund at Fordham for students hailing from north and east Harlem—“reflecting their belief in the power of education, and they have given of their time to the university as well,” a Fordham Magazine article explained.
The Doe Fund’s president, Harriet McDonald, told CBS Weekend News of the wardrobe donation, “People lose a lot of dignity if they’re homeless or incarcerated, and then all of a sudden, they’re in a work environment. If you wear a good suit—and, of course, whose suits could be better?—you fit in.”
The Ontario-born Alex Trebek left behind his wife, Jean, whom he married in 1990, and three children. He hosted over 8,200 episodes of “Jeopardy!” across 37 seasons—the most by a TV game show host, according to Sony Pictures.
Throughout his lifetime he supported many causes—including pancreatic cancer research.
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Maureen Mackey is a writer, editor, web content strategist, and regular contributor to Christian News Journal.