By: Alyssa Hong

For its emergency financial assistance fund, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation has raised $15 million in the previous three weeks thanks to donations of $1 million or more from some of Hollywood’s biggest names.

These significant donors include Donald “The Rock” Johnson, Amal and George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Luciana Barroso, Matt Damon, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Leo Di Caprio, and others.

On July 14, SAG-AFTRA’s strike began.

Courtney B. Vance, an actor and the president of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, announced on Wednesday that the group has received 400 applications for the emergency fund, which is 30 times the average amount.

“I appealed to our community to remember how tough it was coming up, and the response to help their fellow performers has been incredible, immediate, and heartwarming,” he said.

“I remember my days as a waiter, cleaner, typist, even my time on the unemployment line,” Streep said. “In this strike action, I am lucky to be able to support those who will struggle in a long action to sustain against Goliath.”George Clooney said.

Separate from SAG-AFTRA is the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. The foundation’s emergency fund assists in paying for eligible applicants’ essential costs, such as groceries, utilities, rent or mortgage, and health care. Although radio journalists have a different contract than Hollywood actors, many NPR employees are SAG-AFTRA members. The Writers Guild of America strike started on May 2.

Other foundations have also provided financial assistance to the writers and actors on strike.

Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, gave the Entertainment Community Fund $1 million. Since May 1, according to the organization, more than $6.3 million has been raised;

According to the charity, the fund has given out around $3 million to more than 1,500 people impacted by the strikes. According to the organization, it is now disbursing $400,000 to $500,000 every week, up from an average of roughly $75,000 in the first half of 2023.