1 Month Later: How The Actors Fund Is Navigating a Difficult Time for the Performing Arts Community | Playbill

Industry News 1 Month Later: How The Actors Fund Is Navigating a Difficult Time for the Performing Arts Community Find out how you can help, from donations to simply sharing resources on your social channels.

Broadway didn’t wait long to swing into high gear to help one another in the immediate aftermath of Broadway’s closure. Within days, dozens of new initiatives, fundraisers, and crowd-sourced projects had launched, with more to come in the weeks that followed.

At the center of many of the community’s efforts has been The Actors Fund—very much for everyone in the performing arts, not just those on stage. Since March 18, The Actors Fund has distributed $6,430,513 to 5,423 people, more than triple the amount normally distributed in a year.

Since Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ban on mass gatherings began March 12, the Fund has gone from 70 applications a week for emergency financial assistance to around 200 a day—and a normal year’s worth of financial assistance in three weeks. With no return date set, that number will only continue to grow.

But in addition to financial relief, The Fund’s usual roster of services (including health insurance counseling, financial wellness, and more) have added COVID-19 specific sessions, including Financial Wellness for the Entertainment Community Amid COVID-19 and Job Search Fundamentals Amid COVID-19.

There are also plenty of ways you can give back without monetary donations. Follow The Actors Fund on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube and share their posts and updates; post the COVID-19 Resources page to make sure everyone who might need it knows about it; and take a few moments during the day to write a digital note to a senior at The Actors Fund Home.

And as we continue to self-isolate to flatten the curve, be sure to check out these other amazing digital programs:

Watch Stars In The House daily at 2 PM ET and 8 PM ET, hosted by SiriusXM Radio host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley, where stars of stage and screen join them to sing, share stories, and raise money for The Actors Fund.

Tune in to Broadway Jackbox with Andrew Barth Feldman and Alex Boniello, Tuesdays and Fridays at 6 PM ET, as they raise money for The Actors Fund.

Watch Humpday With Hampshire every Wednesday at 5 PM ET, hosted by Schitt’s Creek star Emily Hampshire as she interviews celebrities in their natural habitats—be it their bedrooms, kitchens, garages, or closets. It also features quarantine-themed games including “Show Us Your Junk (Drawer),” “What is your quarROUTINE,” and “Phone a Friend Roulette." All proceeds from viewer donations go directly to The Actors Fund.

READ: Schitt's Creek Star Emily Hampshire Is Getting Us Over the Hump With Her New Talk Show

Check out The Intermission Mission on TodayTix’s Instagram. Watch exclusive videos of at-home performances from the Broadway community, and consider paying an “admission” in the form of a donation.

Watch Viral Vignettes on Wednesdays at 3 PM ET, featuring original work from your favorite actors of the ’70s and ’80s. The series showcases 5-10 minute vignettes on the Pop Goes the Culture TV YouTube Channel.

 
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