New foundation will carry on Matthew Perry’s legacy of combating addiction

By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

A new foundation has promised to continue Matthew Perry’s commitment to “helping others struggling with the disease of addiction”.

The actor, who rose to fame on Friends as the witty and sarcastic character Chandler Bing, died at the age of 54 in late October.

During Perry’s life, he was open about his battle with substance abuse and addiction and also set up a sober living facility for men with similar issues.

A new foundation has been created to honour the actor and continue that legacy.

In a statement, the organisation said: “The Matthew Perry Foundation is the realization of Matthew’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction.

“It will honour his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible.”

The Matthew Perry Foundation also referenced a quote by Perry on its website, in which he said: “When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned – I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned and I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.

“Addiction is far too powerful for anyone to defeat alone. But together, one day at a time, we can beat it down.”

The foundation is a fund sponsored and maintained by the charity National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), who say in their mission statement they want to increase philanthropy.

Perry also starred alongside the main cast of Friends – Matt Le Blanc, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston.

In a joint statement to People magazine they said they were “utterly devastated” and “more than cast mates. We are a family”.

The cast also promised to share more later, saying: “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”