The Herb Alpert Foundation has donated $250,000 to the Entertainment Community Fund to aid idled film and TV industry workers during the ongoing Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes. A matching donation by an anonymous donor brings the total gift to $500,000.
“When artists are in need, it is important for society to offer support,” said Alpert, co-founder of A&M Records. “The reason is simple: Our society is poorer when artists aren’t able to share their work with us. My hope is that our matching grant to the Entertainment Community Fund will keep inspiring others to support our artists in need.”
Rona Sebastian, president of the Herb Alpert Foundation, added, “The Herb Alpert Foundation is thrilled to provide essential funding to support the talented writers, actors and dedicated industry professionals during this challenging work stoppage period. Our support is a testament to our belief in the power of words and the profound impact of storytelling to challenge perspectives, spark conversations and inspire a brighter future.
“It is our hope that this challenge grant will motivate others to support the creative voices in our community. Now more than ever, it is crucial to stand together and uplift those whose creative contributions shape our world. Together, we can ensure that industry professionals, including those in the Los Angeles community, have the resources they need during this pivotal time.”
Since May 1, the day before writers went on strike, the Entertainment Community Fund – formerly known as the Actors Fund – has raised over $9.1 million from more than 10,500 donors to support struggling film and television workers. As of September 8, the Fund has distributed more than $6.5 Million to more than 3,100 film and television workers.
Seth MacFarlane recently donated $1 million to the Fund, and Steven Spielberg & Kate Capshaw gave $1.5 million to be dispersed between the Fund and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program.
Other notable donors to the Fund include The Katie McGrath & JJ Abrams Family Foundation, Stacey Abrams, Annette Bening, Tom Bergeron, Greg Berlanti, Rachel Bloom, Rosanne Cash in memory of Johnny Cash, Suzanne Collins & Cap Pryor, Minnie Driver, Vince Gilligan, Lynn Nottage, Michelle Pfeiffer & David E. Kelley, Daniel Radcliffe, Shonda Rhimes and Chandra Wilson.
Bening, chair of the Fund’s board, said that “The Entertainment Community Fund is so thankful for the Herb Alpert Foundation’s generous donation and for inspiring others to continue to give to the Fund during such an important time. These gifts will immediately assist film and television workers, and so many in our industry who are still struggling to recover after the pandemic.”