The Actors Fund Renamed Leisure Community Fund
The fund, started in 1882, has improved its name to mirror the entire scope of professions it supports.
The Actors Fund, a 140-calendar year-aged human products and services corporation that supports associates of the executing arts and leisure industries throughout the United States, is shifting its identify to the Entertainment Neighborhood Fund, effective immediately. The go was declared at their May possibly 9 reward gala.
“It’s a new title and a new appear, with the exact same mission,” says Fund chairman and Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell. “We realize the commitment of professionals, camera operators, stagehands, writers, musicians, stage professionals, actors, and countless numbers much more who work in movie, television, radio, tunes, theatre, dance, and opera. They all lead to our country’s cultural vibrancy. We price them. We assistance them. And the Fund is here for all of them.”
Started by Albert Marshman Palmer in 1882, the Fund was originally organized to “foster and profit the physical, as well as advance the mental, welfare of the actors of The us.” Considering the fact that the dawn of the 20th century, the Fund has furnished thousands and thousands of bucks of assistance to creatives and their families, like burial plots and end of everyday living care at Lillian Booth Actors Dwelling of The Actors Fund, an assisted residing facility proven in 1912.
“We’ve very long labored to fulfill the needs of these doing the job throughout the entertainment industry, across the region,” says Fund President and CEO Joseph Benincasa. “Now, with our new name, we can reflect the full scope of what we do and the broad range of executing arts and entertainment professionals we provide.”
When the Fund has been an indispensable source for in excess of a century, it lept to action in 2020 and 2021 to help local community associates all through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund has distributed much more than $26.8 million bucks due to the fact March 2020 to additional than 17,900 individuals by way of unexpected emergency money assistance.
“We support persons navigate worries in their lives no make any difference what their purpose in this industry,” carries on Benincasa. “We’re proud to go on this legacy, and to continue to support all associates of our local community to make much more resilient futures.”
“I simply cannot even depend the selection of good friends and colleagues who have explained to me that the Fund saved their life,” provides Actors’ Equity President Kate Shindle. “That long, critical tradition of intervention and aid for the human beings who gas our
uniquely tough market should be mirrored in the organization’s identify, so that everyone who will make the accomplishing arts possible recognizes that these resources are offered to them as nicely.”
The Fund’s Annual Gala, held May well 9 at Los Angeles’ Paramount Pics and New York City’s Marriott Marquis, raised a record-breaking $1.7 million for the organization. Medals of Honor have been introduced to Emmy award winner and 2022 Tony nominee Uzo Aduba, Paramount World wide President and CEO Bob Bakish, Academy and Tony Award–winning actor Mercedes Ruehl, and Shubert Group Chairman and CEO and 2022 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award recipient Robert E. Wankel. Among the evening’s attendees involving the New York and Los Angeles events were Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster, Alex Newell, Kenny Leon, Harris Yulin, LL Cool J, Amanda Kloots, and Edmund Donovan.
The New York gala also showcased performances from Paradise Square star and 2022 Tony Award nominee Joaquina Kalukango and Caroline, or Transform‘s Samantha Williams Business stars Bobby Conte, Claybourne Elder, and Manu Narayan and 6 stars Adrianna Hicks, Andrea Macasaet, Abby Mueller, Brittney Mack, Samantha Pauly, and Anna Uzele. Los Angeles attendees ended up also entertained by Olivier Award winner Amber Riley and singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno.
For more details, stop by EntertainmentCommunity.org.
