Paying tribute: Glee directs fans to charities important to Cory Monteith

In the wake of the death of ‘Glee’ star Cory Monteith, fans looking to make a donation in memory of the Canadian-born actor are being directed to charities that were particularly important to him.

Monteith was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room on Saturday after failing to make check-out time. An autopsy and toxicology tests later revealed that the 31-year-old died of an overdose of heroin and alcohol.

Monteith had spoken openly about his struggles with substance abuse in the past, and in April, he voluntarily admitted himself to a treatment facility for addiction.

Glee posted the names of three charities on its Facebook page this week, saying fans are invited to make a donation to in Monteith’s memory.

Project Limelight

One of the charities listed includes the Vancouver-based arts program Project Limelight.

Monteith was a vocal supporter of the free theatre program, which seeks to create a safe creative space for children living in Vancouver’s troubled Downtown Eastside.

In a video posted to Project Limelight’s website, Monteith speaks about his own struggles as child and the impact the arts had made on his life.

A statement on the Project Limelight website said the organization was “deeply saddened” by Monteith’s unexpected death.

“Cory was an amazing young man with a generous heart,” the statement read. “He has been a supporter of Project Limelight Society from the very beginning, and will always be an important part of our story.”

Virgin Unite

Monteith worked with British billionaire and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson on a number of charity projects, including Project Limelight.

Monteith was an ambassador for Branson’s Virgin Unite charity, which is the charitable arm of the Virgin Group that pools volunteering efforts from across the company to grow the efforts of smaller, grassroots charities.

Chrysalis

Chrysalis is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization dedicated to creating a pathway to self-sufficiency for homeless and low-income individuals by providing the resources and support needed to find and retain employment.