WINNIPEG – At their December meeting, the members of Motion Picture Technicians Local 856 of the I.A.T.S.E. showed their strong support of the Actors’ Fund of Canada by selecting the Fund as the recipient of their annual holiday charitable donation.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008, the Actors’ Fund is Canada’s entertainment industry emergency fund and provides over $400,000 a year in vital financial aid to performers and other entertainment workers in film & TV, theatre, music and dance. Over the last four years, the Fund has provided over $460,000 in assistance to I.A.T.S.E. members to help them maintain their health, housing and ability to work during a financial crisis.
Says Local 856 Business Agent Joe Laurin, “Our members wanted to support a cause that’s supported by the I.A.T.S.E. nationally. We know about the important work the Actors’ Fund does to help I.A.T.S.E.
members across Canada, so we were pleased to give this donation to help the Fund care for our brothers and sisters who have been injured, have fallen ill or have suddenly lost their jobs. We felt that this donation was an excellent way of getting the buzz going within our membership about the good things that the Actors’ Fund of Canada does for people in our industry. ”
Adds Actors’ Fund Executive Director David Hope, “We are very grateful for the support of the members of Local 856. It’s terrific to see that the message that this is a fund for more than just actors’ is getting out. We are looking forward to working with Local 856 and all Canadian locals to carry that message even further during our 50th anniversary year.”
The Actors’ Fund of Canada is a registered charity. Performers, creators, technical staff and other production team members have received over $3 million rent payments, grocery money, utility payments and other basic living expenses from the Fund in the last 10 years.
The Actors’ Fund receives no government funding and is wholly sustained by support from individuals and entertainment industry organizations.