Grant Pushes 'On Begley Street' Project Past Halfway Mark

The crowd-funding campaign for new web series ON BEGLEY STREET received a major boost from the California Institute of Contemporary Arts (CICA) when the non-profit donated enough funds to cover 50 percent of the show's fundraising goal on Kickstarter.

"We all need to live more greenly, and there is no one better than Ed Begley Jr. and his family to show the world how to be environmentally sane and do it in a creative and artistic way,” said CICA Board President Tom Reise.

ON BEGLEY STREET follows the Begleys as they attempt to build what's described as “the world's greenest home.”

“We wanted to make ON BEGLEY STREET to show others how you can live sustainably, save money, and have fun all at once,” says Rachelle Carson-Begley. “The support we've received from individuals and groups like the CICA has really made me work that much harder to promote the benefits of sustainable living.”

The CICA was particularly interested in helping ON BEGLEY STREET succeed in their Kickstarter campaign. The Begleys, who live in Studio City, and Make it Happen Productions, a Sherman Oaks company, are using the crowdfunding platform to raise $25,000 for the web series' marketing, distribution, and promotion.

Speaking on Kickstarter's “all or nothing” fundraising model, Reise said “We know there is a deadline to get the funds together, so we wanted to make sure they are well past the halfway mark.”

“I am so excited to see us continually reaching our goal and gathering support but with this grant we will rocket towards our goal and open us up to a wonderful artistic community of supporters.” says Raphael Sbarge, Executive Producer of On Begley Street and actor (Once Upon A Time).  

 “A donation like this, from an organization like the CICA, is very humbling,” said actor and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. “All I can say is “Thank you', from the bottom of my heart”

 ON BEGLEY STREET is a production of Make it Happen Productions. It is currently in production in Los Angeles, CA, and slated to debut in the fall of 2012.

 About the Begleys

Ed and Rachelle Begley are the most recognized names and faces in Hollywood's environmental movement. The couple co-starred in their own highly successful reality series, “LIVING WITH ED.” They both continue to act in film, television, and theatrical productions, and are equally active in many charities and environmental groups. The Begleys have served on the boards of organizations including Green Wish, The Thoreau Institute, the Earth Communications Office, TreePeople and Friends of the Earth.

About the California Institute of Contemporary Arts

The California Institute of Contemporary Arts (cica.us.com) is a non-profit corporation based in San Diego that promotes arts and education with an emphasis toward promoting respect and understanding for diversity of all kinds. The CICA was founded by San Diego psychiatrist Dr. Fritz Klein.

About Make it Happen Productions

An award winning production company, Make It Happen Productions (MIHP) has recently sold television shows to both Viacom and NBC Nonstop. Partnering with Raphael Sbarge and Ed Begley Jr, MIHP is proud to now add web series development and production to it’s repertoire.

Also check back for an exclusive blog about the creation of the new house on Studio City Patch.

And, see An Environmental Check-In with Ed Begley Jr. 

To find out more about "ON BEGLEY STREET" and the Kickstarter campaign, including an embeddable video, visit http://kck.st/obs2012pr.