November 18, 2019
The Directors Guild Foundation (DGF) has a rich history of generosity — fulfilling its mission of addressing the financial hardship of DGA members with compassion and discretion for more than seventy years. Established on June 7, 1945 as the DGA Educational and Benevolent Foundation, a small group of prominent directors of the period, including founding officers Frank Capra, Joseph Mankiewicz, Leo McCarey, Tay Garnett and John Farrow, wanted to help their fellow members when tough times hit — when work dried up, a show was canceled or a contract ended, but the bills didn’t.
Then and now — the Foundation helps bridge this temporary situation and gets the member back on his or her feet until their next job by providing confidential and interest free short-term loans. Today, the DGF continues this proud tradition of service by not only providing our traditional loans to assist members who are experiencing short term financial hardship, but also granting emergency loans to assist members experiencing an immediate need due to a natural disaster, medical emergency, or similar urgent situation.
In addition to helping individual DGA members in need, the Foundation has also supported the entertainment community through contributions to the Motion Picture and Television Fund and the Actors Fund. Past partnerships with the MPTF include the Directors Guild Foundation Cognitive Wellness Program — a 10-year commitment supporting an ambitious research program exploring ways to delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer symptoms. In addition, for the last several years the Foundation has underwritten the cost of annual flu shots for more than 1,500 DGA members and their dependents without health coverage through flu shot clinics in Los Angeles and New York.
In the 21st century, the Foundation continues its vital mission of serving DGA members in need. Just as director Leo McCarey got things going back in 1945 with a donation from his earnings on two hit features, Going My Way and The Bells of St. Mary’s, we hope that all DGA members will consider a tax-deductible contribution to this year’s annual giving campaign.
Look out for the Annual Foundation Campaign arriving soon to your mailbox.
For more information or to apply for a confidential loan,
please contact the DGF office at (310) 289-2037 or Foundation@dga.org.