Robin Williams

Robin Williams quietly donated stand-up profits to US food bank before his tragic ԁеаtһ

Robin Williams quietly raised an incredible $50,000 to a Seattle food bank before his ԁеаtһ in 2014.

The Mrs Doubtfire actor donated the proceeds of his stand-up show at a local nightclub to the charity between 2004 and 2008 but didn’t broadcast his secret act of generosity, UpWorthy reports.

Williams’ discreet philanthropy totalled close to $USD50,000 ($71,000) and went directly to West Seattle Food Bank, which the comedian had been supporting since 2004.

Robin Williams

Speaking to USA Today just days after Williams’s 2014 ԁеаtһ, Mike Cervino, a volunteer at the West Seattle Food Bank said: “It’s threefold, actually. One because he was a great comedian. Two, because he donated here, and three because people really rely on that here.”

“I was just astounded. Robin Williams is the type of person who really understands there are a lot of people who are really, really struggling,” West Seattle Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts said at the time, according to Today.

Volunteer Aaron Ellis, who met the actor at the food bank in 2004, said the comedian treated his charitable act as an “honour” and helped him stay sober after an alcohol addiction.

“He said it was an honour for him to be able to do these things, to give back. That meant the world to me. It solidified my sobriety to this day,” Ellis revealed.

Robin Williams during the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.

Williams ԁıеԁ in August, 2014 at the age of 63 following a secret battle with depression and mental health.

Williams’ publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said at the time that he was suffering from severe depression before his ԁеаtһ.

The Dead Poet Society actor’s widower, Susan Schneider, said that in the time before his ԁеаtһ, Williams had been sober, but was diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson’s disease.

Robin Williams

Schneider said it was information her husband was “not yet ready to share publicly”.

Williams was also known for his charity work at organisations such as Comic Relief, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“Robin came from a family with money — he was brought up with a silver spoon in his mouth, and I think he felt so blessed that he wanted to do something for people who weren’t brought up like that,” Comic Relief founder Bob Zmuda told The LA Times in 2014.

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