Raised in a family concerned with social issues, in 2003 Gyllenhaal participated in an advertising campaign by the American Civil Liberties Union, an organization his entire family strongly supports.
Da han er opvokset i en familie, der bekymrede sig om sociale problemer, deltog Gyllenhaal også i reklamekampagnen for American Civil Liberties Union, en organisation, som hele hans familie er støtter.