The Actors Fund is a non profit, national, human services organization that was set up to provide help to individuals in the performing arts and entertainment industry. There are times when those in this industry may fall on hard times and need a helping hand to be able to make it through, though most of us normally do not think of individuals in that industry as being in that kind of a situation. We think of movie actors and those involved in acting as living far beyond the norm; however, this is not always the case. This organization works to provide essential needs during times of need.

During the writer's strike that recently took place, there were many individuals in the acting community who were without employment. During this time, it wasn't just the multitude of actors who were affected. Animators, stunt men, costumer designers and numerous other individuals who work in the world of television and movies were also affected. The Actors Fund worked diligently to help those who were out of work for several months and even those who will not be returning for some time because their jobs were lost.

The Actors Fund was founded in 1882, by Albert Marshman Palmer. It was founded largely because Harrison Grey Fiske, who was the editor of the New York Dramatic Mirror and a former student of New York University, brought attention to the array of problems that movie actors and others in the profession were facing. In 1892, at a fair held at Madison Square Garden, this organization was able to raise money to provide families and individuals with money assistance, setting up an Actors Fund Home for those in need of a place to live and even burial plots at a cemetery in Brooklyn. In 1980, when the AIDS crisis hit the film industry, the Actors Fund attempted to bring what help they could to the thousands of affected individuals.

The Actors Fund has and continues to help individuals in the acting world be able to stand on their feet and make it through tough times. Actors and those in the industry can be seen as a family and as such, this organization was set up to take care of those family members in need. While many television and movie actors are able to "make it to the big time," there are those who struggle and at times need a resource in order to survive and take care of their families. The programs that this organization provides can cover medical costs and financial assistance, as well as helping with other living costs when they are needed.