The foundation concentrates its philanthropy on medical research—especially cancer—and on hunger and emergency food relief, with a secondary interest in community recovery and services for vulnerable populations (veterans, homeless, disaster victims). Most grants are directed to established nonprofits and major hospitals, often as repeat gifts, while a portion supports local Southern California community programs and rapid-response food aid internationally. Their giving blends large, strategic gifts to research institutions with programmatic support for food security and disaster relief.
Cancer research anchors The Cheesecake Factory-Oscar and Evelyn Overton Charitable Foundation’s recent giving, led by a $325,000 grant to City of Hope in Duarte, California in 2025. That commitment sits alongside repeat support for the same institution in 2023 and 2024, showing a sustained relationship rather than a one-time award. The foundation also backs other medical research efforts, including a $50,000 grant to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for cancer research. Beyond health research, the foundation supports hunger relief and emergency food aid. Recent grants include multiple gifts to White Pony Express in Pleasant Hill and annual support for Feeding America in Chicago, reflecting a practical mix of local and national food-security work. The grant list also includes direct-response aid for disaster and humanitarian needs, such as World Central Kitchen for food relief aid to Ukraine and support tied to the Maui fire. Community-based services appear in Southern California as well, through grants for youth services and assistance for veterans and people experiencing homelessness.
Medical research is the clearest theme in the foundation’s portfolio. In 2025, it gave $325,000 to City of Hope for cancer research, and in the same period it awarded $50,000 to Cedars Sinai Medical Center for the same purpose. The pattern points to sustained support for oncology-focused institutions. Food insecurity is another recurring area. The foundation gave $50,000 to White Pony Express in 2025 for hunger programs and $34,015 to Feeding America in 2025 for hunger programs. Earlier grants to both organizations show that hunger relief is not episodic in this portfolio. The foundation also makes targeted community and emergency-response gifts. It awarded $50,000 to South LA Youth Center for Salvation Army Youth Services, $20,000 to Grow Good Inc for aid to veterans and homeless individuals, and $21,400 to World Central Kitchen for food relief aid to Ukraine.
Typical grant size sits at a median of $34,524, with the middle half of grants ranging from $21,050 to $50,000. The recent record also includes a much larger outlier in the $325,000 grant to City of Hope. Giving appears recurring rather than one-off in several places: City of Hope, White Pony Express, Feeding America, and the Give Back Program each appear across multiple years. The foundation is a public charity and a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund vehicle or program-related-investment maker. The available grant data does not show an application process.
$546K
$1.3M
$1M
$628K
Most grants fall between $21K and $50K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$21K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Concentrated giving: a few large, repeat grants (notably a dominant commitment to City of Hope) supplemented by multiple mid-size gifts to food security and local community organizations; mix of domestic regional focus (Southern California) with some international emergency relief.
Notable grantees: City of Hope, White Pony Express, Feeding America, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, World Central Kitchen
Grantmaking is heavily California-focused: 67% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Duarte, Los Angeles, Pleasant Hill, Bell, and Calabasas all appear in the recent grant list, with Calabasas also serving as the location for the Give Back Program. All recent grants in the data go to U.S. recipients, with no non-U.S. countries represented in the grant list.
The recent grant record centers on cancer research and hunger relief, with additional support for youth services, veterans and homelessness services, disaster recovery, and humanitarian aid. Named examples include City of Hope for cancer research, White Pony Express and Feeding America for hunger programs, and World Central Kitchen for food relief aid to Ukraine.
The middle of the distribution is relatively concentrated: the p25 is $21,050, the median is $34,524, and the p75 is $50,000. Recent grants range from small support such as $15,000 to larger gifts like $325,000 to City of Hope.
Yes. City of Hope appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; White Pony Express appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Feeding America appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and the Give Back Program appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards.
California is the top state by grant count, and 67% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent California recipients include City of Hope in Duarte, Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, White Pony Express in Pleasant Hill, and Grow Good Inc in Bell.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Hope | Duarte, CA | $325,000 | 2025 | Cancer research |
| Give Back Program | Calabasas, CA | $87,250 | 2025 | Various charitable causes |
| Cedars Sinai Medical Center | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | To support cancer research |
| White Pony Express | Pleasant Hill, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Hunger programs |
| Feeding America | Chicago, IL | $34,015 | 2025 | Hunger programs |
| City of Hope | Duarte, CA | $300,000 | 2024 | Cancer research |
| White Pony Express | Pleasant Hill, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | Hunger programs |
| Give Back Program | Calabasas, CA | $35,900 | 2024 | Various charitable causes |
| Feeding America | Chicago, IL | $32,977 | 2024 | Hunger programs |
| Grow Good Inc | Bell, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | Aid to veterans & homeless |
| Children of Rest Employees | Brentwood, TN | $15,000 | 2024 | Support to victims of Maui fire |
| City of Hope | Duarte, CA | $300,000 | 2023 | Cancer research |
| South LA Youth Center | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | Salvation Army Youth Services |
| White Pony Express | Pleasant Hill, CA | $40,000 | 2023 | Hunger programs |
| Feeding America | Chicago, IL | $33,147 | 2023 | Hunger programs |
| World Central Kitchen | Washington, DC | $21,400 | 2023 | Food relief aid to Ukraine |
| Give Back Program | Calabasas, CA | $17,852 | 2023 | Various charitable causes |
Give Back Program
$87,250Various charitable causes
Cancer research
Give Back Program
$35,900Various charitable causes
Children of Rest Employees
$15,000Support to victims of Maui fire
South LA Youth Center
$50,000Salvation Army Youth Services
Give Back Program
$17,852Various charitable causes