The SAG-AFTRA Foundation announced Tuesday, November 1, 2016 as the date for its second Annual Patron of the Artists Awards, which will be presented at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, CA. Last year’s event honored Leonardo DiCaprio with the “Actors Inspiration Award,” highlighting a SAG-AFTRA member who has given back to fellow actors and the community at large. Filmmakers Rob Marshall, Megan Ellison, and Lee Daniels were given the “Patron of the Artists Awards” honoring industry leaders who are champions of the arts, recognizing individuals whose history of fostering creativity and creating opportunities for actors has made a positive impact on the acting profession and the performing arts.

The evening includes musical performances with ticket sales benefiting the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. Honorees, performers, and presenters for 2016 will be announced in the next several weeks.

Since 1985, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation has granted more than $18 million in financial and medical assistance including $7 million in scholarships to SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents. In addition, the Foundation has offered 6200 free educational workshops, panels and screenings to union performers nationwide and its children’s literacy programs have brought the love of reading to more than 160 million children worldwide.

About the SAG-AFTRA Foundation
In 2016, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation celebrates 31 years of giving back to the professionals of SAG-AFTRA, their families and communities. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides vital assistance and free educational programming to the professionals of SAG-AFTRA while serving the public at large through its signature children’s literacy programs. The Foundation, independent of SAG-AFTRA, relies solely on support from gifts, grants and sponsorships to maintain its free programs.

During times of crisis, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Emergency Assistance program provides financial assistance to eligible SAG-AFTRA members and their families for basic expenses, including but not limited to rent, utilities and car insurance.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation COBRA Assistance program provides short-term financial grants to eligible SAG-AFTRA members and their families who have lost their earned eligibility through SAG-AFTRA yet wish to continue their health insurance coverage through the 18-month COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) Assistance program.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation Catastrophic Health Fund provides financial grants to eligible SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents who suffer from catastrophic illness or injury and have qualified through SAG-AFTRA Pension and Health for this program.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation John L. Dales Scholarship Fund was created in 1973 in honor of the legacy Screen Actors Guild (SAG) longtime Executive Secretary. Since its creation, the John L. Dales Scholarship Fund has awarded more than $6.5 million in scholarships to 1,852 SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation George Heller Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in 1967 in honor of George Heller, one of American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) founders. Since its creation, the George Heller Memorial Scholarship has awarded hundreds of scholarships to AFTRA members and their dependents.

Scholarships are granted for study at accredited and licensed universities, colleges, junior colleges, adult specialty schools and trade/vocational schools. The number and amounts awarded are determined annually by a committee of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

For more information, visit sagaftra.foundation.

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