This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley’s Acting Up newsletter – to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page.

With dual strikes currently underway, it’s an uncertain time for actors – and this is a profession that is used to uncertainty. Many aren’t just wondering about when their next job will be, but how they can afford rent, utilities and health care. One place that can help is the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and its Emergency Financial Assistance and Disaster Relief Fund. The Foundation’s programs and assistance are available to any SAG-AFTRA member currently paid up on dues who are able to prove financial crisis. The Foundation’s motto is: “If you need help, ask. If you can help, give.”

For those not familiar with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, it is a non-profit organization associated with the union but not part of it. It offers several educational programs and valuable resources to its more than 48,000 participants all over the country. SAG-AFTRA artists should visit the website (www.sagaftra.foundation) and set up a free account to be notified of upcoming screenings, programs and opportunities to utilize various resources, such as its state-of-the-art voiceover labs. In addition, the Foundation is behind Storyline Online, a children’s literacy program that has involved greats from Viola Davis to Rami Malek reading their favorite children’s books.

The Foundation was created in 1985, and its current president is Emmy-winning actor Courtney B. Vance. Its executive director is Cyd Wilson, who came to job in 2014 after working as the director of development at the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and then spending nearly 20 years as the director of creative development at Time Inc. During her time with People magazine, she worked closely with the Foundation and JoBeth Williams, then the president of the SAG Awards committee. “When I retired from Time Inc., JoBeth asked me if I could step in to help reimagine how the Foundation could expand its programs and fundraising reach,” says Wilson. “Initially I took the job thinking it would be temporary, and here I sit, almost 9 years later.”

Wilson was present from the start of the COVID pandemic, and the Foundation and its Actors Council members immediately stepped up to raise funds for actors. Through January 2023, the Foundation raised more than $7 million, which was distributed to more than 7,500 SAG-AFTRA members in need. The Emergency Assistance Fund is still helping those impacted by COVID but is also being utilized to help artists impacted by the current strike.

So how can one apply for assistance? Once you have an account, apply online at https://sagaftra.foundation/emergencyfinancialassistance/. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit https://members.sagfoundation.org/donate. You do not have to be a member of the union to donate, and gifts of all sizes are welcome.

The applications will be reviewed by social service team at the Foundation. “Normally, we do about 10 to 12 applications a week. Right now, we’re doing about 25 a day,” notes Wilson. Because of the sudden influx, they are unable to get on the phone with everyone applying and ask people apply through the website.

Know that some paperwork will be required. “When you apply, you have to prove that you need it,” Wilson elaborates. “We look at financial statements, we look at bank statements, we look at tax returns. We look at bills to make sure we’re giving what they need.” The fund can give up to $1,500 per household – although there have been exceptions when people needed ongoing help. She points to one family where both parents are actors. “Both those incomes are blown, and they’ve got three little kids,” Wilson notes. “So it’s not just about financial help. The social work team is working with them directly. They’re literally getting on the phones, doing virtual meetings, trying to find resources that can help.”

As the Foundation is a non-profit, the money is coming entirely from donations, and Wilson says it’s inspiring that so many actors have stepped up to help. Earlier this week, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson gave a historic seven-figure donation to the fund. She and Vance have been “literally getting on the phone and dialing for dollars,” Wilson says. “We’ve been relying heavily on actors who are in a position where they can give. I’m thrilled to say that within hours of us putting out a letter to the high earners, Cate Blanchett was the first to come in and say, ‘What can I do?’ and wrote a check. That’s the kind of response we’ve been getting from the community, and it’s wonderful.”

But Wilson also points to all the generous donations from people sending $5 — that money can really add up to help those in need. “It makes you feel so good about humanity, that we are willing to take care of our own.”

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