Shawn Batey was sweating in the August sun on the , carrying her 91裸聊视频淚ATSE Solidarity91裸聊视频� sign on the picket line outside Netflix91裸聊视频檚 New York offices, but she was glad to be there.
A props assistant and documentary filmmaker, Batey is a member of the the union that represents most Hollywood crew members, and has recently worked and But since the writers strike began in May on July 14, Batey has had trouble covering her expenses 91裸聊视频� so she applied to the emergency fund from the Entertainment Community Fund for help.
91裸聊视频淭hey say apply when you91裸聊视频檙e at a critical point,91裸聊视频� said Batey, adding that she needed to show her union card, her wages and, in her case, that she91裸聊视频檇 worked as a member of the union for a certain number of years. The application is lengthy, but she said, 91裸聊视频淚t is definitely worth for people to apply. Just be patient.91裸聊视频�
Batey 91裸聊视频� who used her grant to pay her rent, phone bill and electric bill, and other expenses 91裸聊视频� is one of 2,600 film or television workers that the Entertainment Community Fund has helped during these strikes, granting $5.4 million as of Aug. 25. The fund, formerly known as The Actors Fund, is one of several nonprofits that have long supported but who were essentially long before the term was coined. That includes both unionized and nonunionized workers, and those on strike as well as those
The fund has received the most requests for help from people followed and It91裸聊视频檚 raised $7.6 million so far and is granting about $500,000 a week. For now, it91裸聊视频檚 issuing one-time grants of up to $2,000 for individuals or $3,000 for families.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a lot of the crafts people, the wardrobe people, the makeup people, the carpenters that build the sets, the painters, the electricians,91裸聊视频� said Tom Exton, chief advancement officer for the Entertainment Community Fund. He said the fund has supported industry members through including the AIDS epidemic and financial crisis, and would continue to fundraise to provide help as needed.
Another charity created more than 100 years ago to help entertainment workers get through through tough periods, helps administer funds from some of the unions to provide emergency assistance specifically for their members. It declined to disclose the amount of financial support its received from those unions. The fund also to unaffiliated workers and offers housing to industry veterans over the age of 70.
Bob Beitcher, its president and CEO, said many of the lowest-paid entertainment workers have little savings or reserves The federal programs and protections, like eviction moratoriums that helped keep entertainment workers and many others afloat during COVID-19 shutdowns, also aren91裸聊视频檛 around now.
91裸聊视频淭hey are losing their homes. They91裸聊视频檙e losing their cars and trucks. They91裸聊视频檙e losing their health insurance,91裸聊视频� Beitcher said. 91裸聊视频淎nd it91裸聊视频檚 pretty awful.91裸聊视频�
Striking actors and writers of purposefully prolonging the strike so that they lose their homes.
MPTF has been getting 200 calls a day as opposed to 20 a day before the strike. Over 80% of callers are 91裸聊视频渂elow-the-line91裸聊视频� workers, meaning not the actors, writers, directors or producers. They91裸聊视频檝e processed 1,000 requests for financial assistance through the end of July, the fund said, with applicants waiting an average of two weeks for the money to be dispersed.
Beitcher called for greater support from industry members, in on Aug. 17, saying, 91裸聊视频淎s a community, we are not doing enough to support the tens of thousands of crew members and others who live paycheck to paycheck and depend on this industry for their livelihood. They have become the forgotten casualties during these strikes, overlooked by the media.91裸聊视频�
MPTF said it has raised $1.5 million since the letter was published.
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to support the members of the actors union, quickly raised $15 million with $1 million donations from , and in the first three weeks of the actors strike. Other $1 million donations came from and , Luciana and , , and Deborra-Lee Furness, , , and , and
Cyd Wilson, the foundation91裸聊视频檚 executive director, said her pitch to the top talent is that even the biggest stars need the army of smaller actors, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, to make their movies and television shows.
91裸聊视频淭hose are the people that we91裸聊视频檙e going to be helping the most, because those are the people that are going to be hurting the most,91裸聊视频� she said.
The foundation exclusively supports the 160,000 and 86% of those performers don91裸聊视频檛 make enough work in a year to qualify for health insurance, Wilson said.
91裸聊视频淭hey waitress, they bartend, they work catering, they drive Uber, they babysit, they dog walk, they housesit. They have all these secondary jobs in order to be able to survive,91裸聊视频� she said.
As the strike goes on, the funds expect more and more union members will lose their health insurance because they will not have worked enough hours to remain eligible. A small group of mostly showrunners decided they wanted to specifically fundraise to cover health care for crew members, and set up a fund with the MPTF.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 one thing for us to be sacrificing our own day-to-day for our greater good, but to watch our brother and sister union stand beside us?91裸聊视频� said actor and writer 91裸聊视频淲e just got together and said, 91裸聊视频楬ow can we show that we91裸聊视频檙e there for them? And also really put our money where our mouth is and actually do something concrete?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
On Wednesday, talk show hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver launched the podcast, with proceeds from the limited run going to the writers and crew on their TV shows. Mint Mobile and premium alcohol maker Diageo signed on as presenting sponsors.
Savage, along with other actors like 91裸聊视频淕irls91裸聊视频� creator and 91裸聊视频淏lack Monday91裸聊视频� star started talking on WhatsApp groups, then met on Zoom and eventually founded The Union Solidarity Coalition. They91裸聊视频檝e raised $315,000 so far in part from a benefit show in Los Angeles on July 15 that went to the MPTF fund (Savage said she and Scheer covered the cost of the portable toilets).
The writer Liz Benjamin helped set up an initial auction, which included a ceramic vase made by and a blue dress worn by in the series raising more than $8,600. A second auction opens in mid-September on eBay.
Batey says she is still trying to figure out how to make ends meet in September and for the rest of the strike. She91裸聊视频檚 thinking about where else her skills might be applicable and whether to get temporary work outside her field. In the meantime, she
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 dignity and standing up for yourself,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淪o if it means we have to take a hit right now for the bigger cause, it91裸聊视频檚 worth it.91裸聊视频�
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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP91裸聊视频檚 collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP91裸聊视频檚 philanthropy coverage, visit
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For more on the Hollywood strikes, visit
Thalia Beaty, The Associated Press
