The Matthew Perry Foundation has been created in the late actor’s honour to help those struggling with substance abuse.

The Friends star’s loved ones announced the creation of the foundation on Friday, less than a week after he died at the age of 54 on 28 October.

“In the spirit of Matthew Perry’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction, we embark on a journey to honor his legacy by establishing the Matthew Perry Foundation, guided by his own words and experiences, and driven by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible,” reads the foundation’s inaugural statement.

The official website features a black-and-white throwback photo of Perry and a link to donate to the foundation to help individuals dealing with addiction.

There is also a quote Perry gave in an interview in 2022 about what he wanted his legacy to be.

“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,” he said on the Q with Tom Power podcast while promoting his memoir. “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.”

Perry struggled with an addiction to painkillers and alcohol on and off throughout much of his life and helped others struggling with substance abuse. He turned his Malibu property into a men’s sober living facility, Perry House, which ran until 2015.

The Whole Nine Yards actor was found in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home last weekend. No illegal drugs were found at the scene and no foul play was suspected.

Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman stated this week that he was sober and “in a good place” two weeks before he died.

– Cover Media