Ben Affleck to Receive Humanitarian Award from Writers Guild of America, West

Actor-turned-director Ben Affleck is set to collect his third humanitarian honor in as many months after he was named the 2015 recipient of the Writers Guild of America, West’s Valentine Davies Award.

The Gone Girl star will be presented with the prize at the Writers Guild Awards West Coast ceremony in Los Angeles on February 14.

Announcing the news in a statement, WGAW President Chris Keyser writes, “Ben Affleck needs no introduction here. Yet this Oscar-winning screenwriter – twice nominated for Writers Guild Awards – and much-lauded actor/director/producer has somehow found the time to become an engaged leader in humanitarian causes here and abroad.

“Perhaps most crucially, Affleck founded the Eastern Congo Initiative, a grant-making and advocacy group that works toward an eastern Congo with opportunities for economic and social development and the flourishing of a robust civil society.

“Affleck has traveled extensively in support of these initiatives with energy, commitment, intelligence, and effectiveness, devoting large amounts of time and presence. And in doing so, he has raised the bar for what it means, in this community, to be a socially committed citizen.”

The news emerges a week after Affleck picked up the Favorite Humanitarian title at the People’s Choice Awards, where he told the audience, “This is incredibly humbling… I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but I’m not sure, until recently, humanitarian has ever been one of them.

“To be honest, it’s something that I have a hard time accepting, because I’ve had the privilege of working alongside so many incredible people in Congo and all over the world, who I assure you are far more deserving.”

He was also feted in November for his work with the Save the Children charity foundation.

Photo Credit: Ben Affleck