Justin Baldoni‘s Wayfarer Foundation is shutting down amid his ongoing legal battle with Blake Lively.
“Over the past four years, Wayfarer Foundation has supported dozens of grantee partners in fulfilling their missions,” founder Steve Sarowitz said in a statement shared via Instagram on Saturday, May 3. “I am so incredibly proud of the impact this organization has made and deeply grateful for our staff, board, donors and partners.”
The statement continued: “Upon unanimous decision of the board of directors, today we will begin the process of sunsetting the Foundation. We will honor all of our current grant commitments as we carefully wind down operations over the next several weeks. Although the Wayfarer Foundation is closing, my personal commitment to giving remains strong, and I’m dedicated to making an impact on society through the ongoing mission and work.”
Sarowitz, 60, added that the Wayfarer Foundation team understands that the news “may come as a surprise” but they are taking action to “ensure all matters are concluded with care and attention.”
A reason for the Wayfarer Foundation’s closing was not shared.
Wayfarer Foundation was launched by Sarowitz and Baldoni, 41, in 2021 as a philanthropic branch of Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios. The nonprofit is a Baha’i-inspired organization with the mission to “advance humankind spiritually towards a future peaceful world civilization,” per the organization’s website. The Wayfarer Foundation focused on economic prosperity, gender equality, racial justice, unity in diversity, religious harmony, the arts, universal education and youth empowerment.
The news of Wayfarer Foundation’s closing comes amid Baldoni’s ongoing legal battle with Lively, 37, his costar in the 2024 summer blockbuster It Ends With Us. Baldoni and Lively’s drama began in December 2024 when the actress accused the director of sexual harassment and conducting a “smear campaign” against her.
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Baldoni, who also served as director on the film, denied the allegations and subsequently sued Lively, her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and publicist Leslie Sloane. In the $400 million lawsuit, Baldoni accused the group of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy and other claims. Lively and Reynolds have denied the allegations and filed to have the lawsuit dismissed. Sloane, for her part, has asked the court to remove her from the suit.
Sarowitz was mentioned in a February lawsuit from Lively. The actress claimed that the Wayfarer cofounder told an unnamed witness at the It Ends With Us New York premiere in August 2024 that he was “prepared to spend $100 million to ruin the lives of Ms. Lively and her family.” Sarowitz has not addressed the claims. Us Weekly reached out to Baldoni’s legal team for comment at the time. (Wayfarer Studios co-produced and co-financed It Ends With Us.)
Lively and Baldoni have yet to come to a resolution on their respective lawsuits. A trial is set to begin on March 9, 2026.
