The new fund will assist those in the entertainment community, onstage and behind the scenes, who are facing healthcare crises and other needs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Broadway Cares has seeded the fund with an initial $250,000 and is asking supporters to donate to the online campaign to reach a goal of $1 million by April 12. To make a tax-deductible donation, click here.
The COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund will help entertainment professionals meet coronavirus-related expenses. It will provide additional resources for the social service programs of The Actors Fund, including emergency financial assistance, health insurance, counseling, and the operation of The Actors Fund’s Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts.
“When crises hit, the extended Broadway community and the theatre fans everywhere have always responded with generosity, compassion, and action,” said Tom Viola, executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. “Buoyed by and on behalf of those onstage, backstage, and throughout the theatres of New York City and on the road, we are proud to launch this emergency initiative in collaboration with The Actors Fund to provide immediate, basic support for those facing uncertainty in this unsettling pandemic.”
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources, and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 Broadway Cares has raised more than $300 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.
