Before the beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek died in 2020, he and his family had made a sizable donation to the Los Angeles, California homeless nonprofit Hope the Mission.
The Trebeks donated $500,000 to the nonprofit, which was earmarked for a new housing facility that would offer residents a number of services to help them acquire more permanent housing.
The initial donation helped the organization raise millions of additional dollars through private donations and city funds to bring what is now the Trebek Center to life.
Hope the Mission used the money to purchase the 23,000-square-foot Skateland, a former roller rink that had been a family recreation center in the San Fernando Valley for 60 years.
Skateland’s owners struggled to maintain operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and when the opportunity arose, Hope the Mission founder and CEO Ken Craft jumped on it.
And then Trebek called.
“I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting in my office, my phone rang and I picked it up. ‘Hello, is this Ken Craft, this is Alex Trebek. I hear you’re building a shelter in North Hollywood and I’d like to come see it,’” Craft reflects on the organization’s website.
“Little did I know that that brief introduction and conversation would lead to a friendship with Alex Trebek, the host of “Jeopardy!”… a friendship that unfortunately ended way too soon.”
Trebek and his wife Jean had been longtime supporters of Hope the Mission, and Alex was even the keynote speaker at another area shelter just months before his passing.
The 107-bed shelter now named after him is both a tribute to his legacy and a refuge for those in need.
“His legacy lives on in the life of each person that finds hope and refuge in our doors,” Craft continued.
The Trebek Center — which includes a library of the host’s books and furniture — has been operational since 2022, and provides over 100 transitional beds to people experiencing homelessness.
Amenities include a dining hall, lounge areas, and outdoor spaces, alongside support services like substance-use counseling, job training and placement, and mental health care.
“We all know that homelessness is complicated,” Jean Trebek said after her husband’s death. “There is no single pathway to the streets. There’s no single intervention that ends homelessness. But there is a single remedy and it’s called love. Supporting another is loving another and the transformational power of support will surely be known at this site.”
The Trebek Center was designed and renovated by DNA Architecture & Design, incorporating elements of the original roller skating rink while making the shelter more comfortable for residents.
An acoustic ceiling was removed to expose “a series of bowstring trusses,” and skylights were added to bring natural light to the shelter’s sleep areas, according to the firm.
“He would have loved walking the halls of the Trebek Center noting the bright colors, natural lighting and cutting-edge architecture,” Craft said of Trebek.
“The site will include most of Alex’s books from his home library. Much of his memorabilia will be displaced onsite and his spirit of generosity and compassion will permeate the facility.”
A “Trebek Tribute Wall” is also a key fixture in the facility, where donors are honored in the style of the beloved game show’s game board.
Additionally, those who were fans of Skateland can preserve a piece of the landmark, with sponsored floor planks made from the roller rink etched with their names and displayed in the facility.
With a rich history, the facility has been infused with new life — and new hope — for all who use it.
And Trebek’s legacy lives on, inspiring others to use their power for good.
“I’m not one of those people who thinks that we can’t deal with the homeless near my house because that’s bad. I don’t feel that way,” the game show host said prior to his death.
“I wish more people would react in a positive way to reaching out and trying to help their fellow member of the community.”
Header images courtesy of Sony Pictures and DNA Architecture & Design
