OTTAWA – IATSE Local 471, which represents stagecraft, projection, wardrobe, hair and make-up labour in the Ottawa and Kingston area today announced a contribution of $10,000 to the Actors’ Fund of Canada in support of its mission to provide emergency financial aid to entertainment industry workers in crisis across Canada. Actors’ Fund Executive Director David Hope was on hand at the IATSE Districts 11 and 12 Canadian Convention to accept the cheque.
“The Actors’ Fund, despite its name, is not just for actors. It has come to the aid of members of our local in a major way” said Local 471 President Ron Colpaart. “Many of our colleagues in this sometimes difficult industry have fallen on hard times at one point and turned to the Fund for assistance. The help the Fund gives is invaluable, providing not just emergency financial aid, but the chance to recover from a setback and return to doing quality work. Local 471 is proud to contribute $10,000 to the Fund and would urge other locals to think about how they can support this important organization.”
On accepting the cheque, David Hope remarked: “I want to express our heartfelt thanks to the members and executives of Local 471 who have given us this great vote of confidence. We are deeply touched and honoured to receive the contribution you have made. The Actors’ Fund is the pipeline through which the goodwill of the industry is channelled to those of our friends and colleagues who are most vulnerable. It is truly commendable that Local 471 has made such a significant investment in the wellbeing of their members and we look forward to working with them in partnership for many years to come.”
The Actors’ Fund of Canada is a registered charity that provides short-term financial aid to entertainment industry professionals working in film & TV, theatre, music and dance. The Actors’ Fund is not just for actors: performers, creators, technical staff and other production team members can apply for help from the Fund which delivered over $4.4 million in rent payments, grocery money, utility payments and other basic living expenses to clients in the last 10 years and has helped over 10,000 entertainment industry members since it was founded in 1958.
