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Media Release
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$100,000 donation from Local 873 caps a year of new partnerships
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For Immediate Release: April 5, 2007

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TORONTO - March 31 marked the end of a fiscal year that saw an unprecedented number of new donations from I.A.T.S.E. Locals to the Actors' Fund of Canada, netting over $140,000 in I.A.T.S.E. support for the entertainment industry's emergency fund.

Says Actors' Fund Executive Director David Hope, "The Fund has delivered over $330,000 in emergency financial aid to I.A.T.S.E. members across Canada in the last four years. From the Local executives to the individual members, our message to our brothers and sisters in the I.A.T.S.E. is, ‘we're there for you, we've proven the value of what we offer and we're a charity that deserves your support'. We're extremely pleased with the response from the various Locals to that message this year."

Locals 58 (Toronto), 212 (Calgary), 849 (Atlantic Canada) and 891 (BC and the Yukon) each contributed between $2,500 and $15,000 in 2006-07, with a $5,000 cheque coming from the Walsh/DiTolla/Spivak Foundation, presented by International President Thomas Short at the Districts 11 and 12 off-year Conventions in June 2006.

Other Locals, such as Local 56 (Montreal), 357 (Stratford) and 828 (Ontario) made their first donations to the Fund during the year with contributions ranging from $300 to $1,000.

Locals 58, 667 and 873 sponsored the Fund's annual "Big Swing" golf tournament in Toronto, while others planned fundraising events, such as Hamilton Local 129's 50/50 draw and Local 849's upcoming poker tournament, scheduled for April 29.

The highlight of the year was a $100,000 donation from Local 873, presented to the Fund at the end of February.

In the last five years, the Fund has grown from an organization that mainly served performers into a vital support system that unites all sectors of the Canadian entertainment industry to assist its most vulnerable members.

"We've got great support from organizations like Actra Fraternal and our union and guild partners, who know that the Fund is uniquely designed around their members' needs. Now, as we head toward our 50th anniversary next year, we hope all entertainment workers will consider making the Fund their personal charity of choice as well", added Hope.

The Actors' Fund of Canada is a registered charity that provides short-term financial aid to entertainment industry professionals working in theatre, film & TV, music and dance. Performers, creators, technical staff and other production team members can apply for help from the Fund which delivered over $400,000 in rent payments, grocery money, utility payments and other basic living expenses to clients in the last 12 months and over $3 million in the last 10 years.

The Actors' Fund receives no government funding and is wholly sustained by support from individuals and entertainment industry organizations.

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CONTACT:

David Hope, The Actors' Fund of Canada
Phone: 1-877-399-8392
E-mail: contact@actorsfund.ca
Web site: www.actorsfund.ca
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©2010 The Actors' Fund of Canada - 1000 Yonge Street, Suite 301 Toronto, ON M4W 2K2
contact@actorsfund.ca / Tel: 416.975.0304 / Toll-Free: 1.877.399.8392 / Fax: 416.975.0306
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