About Us
Founded in 1985, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation is an educational, humanitarian and philanthropic 501© 3 non-profit organization.
The mission of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation is to enhance the lives of actors by investing in programs which help them in their professional endeavors. Our programs reflect the concerns and interests of SAG members as well as their desire to "give back" to their communities. The SAG Foundation is independent from SAG but offers substantive services to Guild members, free of charge. The Foundation relies solely on the support from grants, corporate sponsorships, bequests and individual contributions to maintain our programs and create new ones. Our mission is to assist, educate and inspire actors.
Below is an overview of what the SAG Foundation offers:
Actors Center: will provide a home for SAG Foundation programs.
BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools): a volunteer program comprised of performing artists who read aloud to elementary school students at Title One schools, museums, cultural institutions, hospitals and homeless shelters.
Casting Access Project: offers eligible SAG members access to cold reading workshops at no cost giving them the opportunity to meet and learn from respected casting directors.
Catastrophic Health Fund: provides grants to cover the cost of insurance for eligible SAG members who have catastrophic health issues. Grants are made directly to SAG P&H on behalf of the individual.
Conversations: a national speaker series inviting high-profile industry professionals to share their experiences in the industry with an audience of actors. Screenings of films and television shows followed by question and answer sessions with members of the cast, directors, writers and producers are also offered.
Emergency Assistance: provides emergency financial relief for eligible SAG members who demonstrate need.
Housing Board: provides a housing posting board for professional actors.
Internships: opportunities are available for college students to receive credit. An additional program is available for youth with disabilities through a partnership with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE).
John L. Dales Scholarship: provides scholarships for eligible SAG members as well as their children for accredited institutions of higher learning. A limited number of scholarships are awarded each year.
Ken Orsatti Scholarship: provides one scholarship to a SAG Employee who is pursuing a college or graduate degree while employed at SAG.
Legacy Documentation Project: an archival video series featuring veteran actors and Guild staff instrumental in shaping the growth of the entertainment industry.
LifeRaft: a professional development program that provides insight into the business of acting through various seminars.
Love Equals: A writing contest that asks children ages 6-11 to express what love means to them. A celebrity judging panel determines the winners who are awarded cash prizes on Valentine’s Day.
Self-Pay Assistance: provides one-quarter of health insurance for eligible SAG members and their families.
Storyline Online: an online interactive website designed to increase literacy and bring the excitement of books into the classroom and home using Internet technology. Storyline Online features videos of well-known actors reading quality children’s literature aloud.
Volunteer Opportunities: opportunities are available to help at our events as well as administrative needs in our office.
We the Children: teaches children the value of books and the importance of their own lives by giving them the opportunity to write and illustrate their family history. Each story is compiled into a leather bound hard cover book.
If you would like to make a donation to support the programs of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, please visit our Planned Giving page.
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