IATSE Local 891 Makes $18,000 Donation to the Actors’ Fund of Canada

VANCOUVER – The members of Motion Picture Technicians Local 891 of the I.A.T.S.E. have shown their strong support for the Actors’ Fund of Canada with an $18,000 donation to the national entertainment industry emergency fund.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008, the Actors’ Fund is the lifeline for Canada’s entertainment industry. The Fund provides vital aid to workers in film & TV, theatre, music and dance to help with their recovery from an illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe financial hardship. Performers, creators, technical staff and other production team members can benefit from the Fund, which has paid out over $3 million rent payments, grocery money, utility payments and other basic living expenses in the last 10 years.

Local 891 President Ken Anderson underlines the importance of the Fund to I.A.T.S.E. members: “The Actors’ Fund has helped I.A.T.S.E. members in Canadian locals to the tune of over $460,000 in the past four years. We’ve been hit hard by the spin-off effects of the WGA strike here in Vancouver but we feel it’s essential to support the Actors’ Fund, both in good times and bad. A contribution to the Fund is an investment in our members’ future in this industry. I encourage all Canadian locals of the I.A.T.S.E. to support it in any way they can.”

The Fund is experiencing a record high demand and expects its total emergency relief payments for the year to reach half a million dollars by its fiscal year end on March 31.

Actors’ Fund Executive Director David Hope adds, “Local 891’s support couldn’t have come at a better time. In this, the 50th year of the Fund’s existence, the demand on its resources is higher than it has ever been. We’re very grateful to Local 891 for not only maintaining, but increasing its level of support for the Fund this year.”

The Actors’ Fund of Canada is a registered charity. It receives no government funding and is wholly sustained by support from individuals and entertainment industry organizations.

English (Canada)