As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes proceed in Hollywood, star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has made the biggest single donation to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, in accordance to its president and government director.
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a non-profit group related to SAG-AFTRA, however not part of it. The Foundation goals to assist present monetary reduction to the union’s 160,000 members through an Emergency Financial Assistance Program.
When the SAG-AFTRA strike first turned official, SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance and government director Cyd Wilson despatched a letter to 2,700 of the union’s highest-earning actors, explaining why donations to the Foundation may show extraordinarily helpful to these in want. According to the pair, Dwayne Johnson stepped up nearly instantly.
“It was a love fest. It’s like, ‘Man, you’re stepping up in a way that is allowing others to know the dire necessity of it,’” Vance mentioned of his response to Johnson’s donation in an interview with Variety. “This is him saying, ‘In such a time as this, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere, whatever you need me to do.’ And that sends a huge message to other folks to do the same thing.”
Dwayne Johnson’s donation will assist up greater than 7,000 SAG members
While Vance didn’t need to share the precise quantity of Johnson’s donation, Wilson mentioned that it was “the largest single donation” that the Foundation has ever obtained. The Foundation grants usually ship up to $1,500 per particular person member, however a lifetime member can obtain up to $6,000 if conditions are extra excessive. According to Wilson, Johnson’s donation will assist an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 members in want of monetary help companies.
“It’s the largest single donation that we’ve ever received from one individual at one time,” mentioned Wilson. “And what is amazing is that that one check is going to help thousands of actors keep food on their table, and keep their kids safe, and keep their cars running. And it’s not lost on me that he’s very humble about this, but it is a way to get us started.”
Wilson likened the donation and charity to how the Foundation operated in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and mentioned that even with Johnson’s donation, there might be extra work to be finished, because the group may see the strike going “on through the end of the year.”
“This is how we did this during COVID — some of the biggest stars in our industry stepped up,” Wilson mentioned. “For him to step up like this is really going to get us started in the fundraising that we’re going to need to do, because everything we’re hearing and seeing, we feel we have to be prepared that this could go on through the end of the year. We’re going to have to be able to help these people in the long run. We have 160,000 SAG-AFTRA performers and that’s a lot of people that are going to need our help. This donation is the kickstart we needed in the first week of what we think will be a long haul.”
Vance additionally praised the continued efforts from SAG-AFTRA management — together with nationwide president of the union Fran Drescher — and as soon as once more thanked Johnson immensely for his assist.
“I want to thank Dwayne for his tremendous generosity, compassion, and initiative to step up in this significant and meaningful way for our community. On behalf of the thousands who will be helped by his historic donation, thank you, thank you, thank you.”
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