SAG-AFTRA

Special 2022

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sagaftra.org / SAG-AFTR A SPECIAL ISSUE 2022 / 58 "Since 1985, the Foundation has been a lifeline for SAG-AFTRA members," said SAG-AFTRA Foundation President Courtney B. Vance. "However, the economic and professional effects of the pandemic have had a monumental impact on our broad and diverse community. Gratefully, throughout these challenging times, our SAG-AFTRA family and industry friends have stepped up to help lift up members who needed it the most." Since March 2020, the Foundation has granted more than $7 million in emergency assistance and disaster relief to over 7,500 SAG-AFTRA members and their families. The aid has helped these members with basic living expenses, such as rent, food and bills during COVID-19, as well as after natural disasters, including Hurricane and Tropical Storm Ida, the Texas winter storms, recent tornadoes and more. In addition, the Foundation swiftly transitioned all of its in-person programming online, offering more than 4,800 career-building programs virtually to more than 87,000 SAG-AFTRA participants from every local affiliate in the country. Members have been able to develop self-tape auditioning skills and learn about new software programs remotely, as well as attend accountability groups, receive voiceover training and get advice about setting up recording studios in their homes at no additional cost. One of the Foundation's countless success stories comes from SAG-AFTRA New York Local member Vivienne Leheny, who has performed on stage, television and film, and worked in commercial voiceover for 20 years prior to delving into the Foundation's free voiceover programs. " I am so grateful to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and to the excellent staff, engineers and voiceover professionals who shared their knowledge, experience and talent with me. It's a pleasure to be able give back to the program that gave me so much." — Vivienne Leheny Member and actor Vivienne Leheny uses the SAG-AFTRA Foundation voiceover facility to record an audiobook. PHOTO COURTESY OF VIVIENNE LEHENY

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