Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1325752
Foundation Shows Strength and Resiliency in 2020 T hanks to a growing community of support, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation has continued to be a resource for SAG-AFTRA members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, the Foundation has distributed more than $6 million in emergency financial aid to more than 6,500 SAG-AFTRA artists and their families for assistance with rent, groceries and other emergency expenses. As the pandemic continues, the Foundation's COVID-19 Relief Fund is available to those in need. Visit sagaftra.foundation/disasterrelief. Although its offices remain closed, the Foundation has expanded its programming online, offering more than 1,200 free remote voiceover workshops, The Business panels, casting classes, Conversations at Home and more to over 51,000 participants. Its educational videos have received more than 7 million views since March. In addition, the new Virtual On-Camera Lab now offers a way to record auditions with technical support from staff, adding to the Foundation's roster of free programs available to SAG-AFTRA members. Members can sign up for a user account at sagaftra.foundation. Lastly, the Foundation's award-winning digital children's literacy program, Storyline Online, saw a 20% surge in engagement, with more than 140 million online views in 2020, and introduced new storytellers Angela Bassett, Jaime Camil and Ray Romano. Along with a virtual summer camp initiative, millions of families and educators used storylineonline.net as a resource for children's at-home learning. As a nonprofit, the Foundation relies entirely on the generosity of donors to continue its vital work. Supporters are encouraged to give at sagaftra.foundation/donate. Storytellers Jaime Camil, Angela Bassett and Ray Romano are the newest readers for the Foundation's children's literacy program, Storyline Online.