Mid-City food bank opens its doors to striking Hollywood actors and writers

Without much work, Thushari Jay goes to the World Harvest Food Bank to get some help after picketing outside Hollywood studios. 

The Screen Actors Guild member said she was already struggling financially, even before her union joined the Writers Guild of America for the historic strike. 

"I don't have the resources to spend for weekly groceries," said Jay. 

Fellow union member Pae Pae was also at the food bank to get free groceries. 

"There are no jobs," she said. "We don't have any casting. Our residual checks are at the bare minimum."

World Harvest opened its doors to SAG and WGA members for the length of the strike. 

"Simply come on in here," said Glen Curado, World Harvest Charities CEO. "We're going to give them a shopping car worth over $300 in groceries."

Union members must show their membership cards to shop. 

"I'm trying to give people dignity and a sense of well-being," said Curado.

WGA Captain Joelle Garfinkel recently took her residual check to start a fund called Green Envelope Grocery Aid to provide food support. She's been getting the word out and some of her colleagues have joined in to give back. 

"To date, we've raised $57,000 in funds for mutual aid donations and 570 grocery grants," said Garfinkel. 

On the website for the Entertainment Community Fund, anyone who works in show business can apply for financial emergency assistance. 

"Those grants are people's rent, utilities, doctor's bills — basically life expenses," said Keith McNutt, a director with ECF. "They are grants, not loans. People don't have to pay them back."

While on the picket lines, Brian Posehn and Bob Odenirk, who both have long writing and acting credits, said there should be no shame in asking for help. 

"Please swallow your pride," Odenkirk said. "Set it aside. Make use of any resources that you can get."

Jay said the support demonstrates the essence of Los Angeles and the entertainment world. 

"It may not be much, it's not money, that's fine," she said. "But, they're helping take care of the community because L.A. is a union town. Hollywood is a union town."

Loans are also available through the Writers Guild, which has set up a $21 million strike emergency fund. 

Paramount Pictures, one of the studios involved in the negotiations, and CBS News and Stations are both part of Paramount Global. Also, some KCAL News staff are SAG-AFTRA or Writers Guild members; though, their contracts are not affected by the strikes.