SUPPORT FOR WRITERS
To support feature film and television writers in our community as they stand for fair pay and protections in the workplace, recognizing that this action may result in financial hardship for writers and their families, Humanitas began distributing grocery store gift cards to WGA writers in need on May 8, 2023.
Though the WGA strike is over, the Groceries for Writers project remains active.
Humanitas is currently able to distribute to WGA writers and writer’s support staff (writers assistants, writers PAs, script coordinators, and showrunner's assistants).
PLEASE NOTE: Groceries for Writers is introducing a distribution cap on grocery cards. Writers who have received six or more cards from Humanitas will not receive additional cards. We will make an announcement online should additional support become available.
If you have any questions about receiving a grocery store gift card, please contact Humanitas at info@humanitasprize.org with “Grocery Card Request Question” in the subject line of your email.
To ensure emails about your request aren’t filtered to your spam folder please consider whitelisting info@humanitasprize.org and gfw@humanitasprize.org. Please click here for instructions on how owners of Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or AOL accounts can do this.
DONATE TO GROCERIES FOR WRITERS
If you are interested in sponsoring Groceries for Writers, please use the button below to visit our PayPal page and select “Groceries for Writers” in the dropdown menu.
Humanitas opened the Groceries for Writers Food Insecurity Survey on September 6, 2023, and closed it on September 22, five days before the end of the 2023 WGA Strike. The survey was announced in The Hollywood Reporter. It was available online, and could be taken by writers at any stage of their career.
PROJECT UPDATES
Since beginning the project in May 2023, Humanitas has distributed 3,212 gifts of support:
2,812 grocery cards as of April 17, 2024.
300 farm bundles.
100 school supply support gifts.
May Updates
May 1: Humanitas distributed 2 grocery card to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,812.
April Updates
April 17: Humanitas distributed 2 grocery card to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,810.
April 11: Humanitas distributed 1 grocery card to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,808.
April 4: Humanitas distributed 3 grocery card to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,807.
March Updates
March 27: Humanitas distributed 2 grocery card to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,804.
March 13: Humanitas distributed 1 grocery card to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,802.
March 6: Humanitas distributed 3 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,801.
February Updates
February 21: Humanitas distributed 3 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,798.
February 14: Humanitas distributed 4 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,795.
February 7: Humanitas distributed 5 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,791.
January Updates
January 31: Humanitas distributed 4 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,786.
January 24: Humanitas distributed 8 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,782.
January 17: Humanitas distributed 16 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,774.
January 10: Humanitas distributed 8 grocery cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,758.
2023 Project Updates:
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December 15: Humanitas distributed 504 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,750.
December 6: Humanitas distributed 16 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,246. -
November 29: Humanitas distributed 32 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 2,230.
November 24: Over the course of the week leading up to Thanksgiving, Humanitas distributed 485 grocery cards, bringing the total cards distributed to 2,193.
November 17: Over the course of the week, Humanitas distributed 52 cards to the WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,714.
November 12: Humanitas will participate in the WGA Strike Unite Sunday Solidarity Brunch. Click here to learn more.
November 8: Humanitas distributed 21 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,662.
November 1: Humanitas distributed 8 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,641.ption -
October 25: Humanitas distributed 14 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,633.
October 18: Humanitas distributed 8 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,619.
October 11: Humanitas distributed 17 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,611.
October 4: Humanitas distributed 23 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,594. -
September 27: Humanitas distributed 66 cards to WGA writers and support staff, bringing the total distributed to 1,571.
September 24: Humanitas distributed 100 farm bundles, bringing the total to 300.
September 22: Humanitas issued 31 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,505.
September 19: Humanitas issued 29 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,474.
September 15: Humanitas issued 20 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,445.
September 12: Humanitas issued 20 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,425.
September 8: Humanitas issued 67 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,405.
September 1: Humanitas issued 35 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,338.
Humanitas recognizes that this time of year comes with other costs as students are returning to schools and receiving supply requests. To subsidize these costs, Humanitas ran a "Back to School Special" under the umbrella of the Groceries for Writers project to serve WGA Member Families. 100 students were supported by this project. -
August 29: Humanitas issued 30 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,303.
August 25: Humanitas issued 16 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,273.
August 22: Humanitas issued 8 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,257.
August 18: Humanitas issued 18 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,249.
August 15: Humanitas issued 24 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,231.August 12: Humanitas distributed approximately 80 CSA produce and shelf-stable bundles for WGA writers in the Los Angeles area.
August 11: Humanitas issued 29 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,207.
August 8: Humanitas issued 15 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,178.
August 4: Humanitas issued 26 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,163.
August 1: Humanitas issued 24 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,137. -
July 28: Humanitas sent 46 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed up to 1,112.
July 26: Humanitas distributed 49 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total number of cards sent to 1,066.
July 21: Humanitas issued 18 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 1,018.
July 19: Humanitas distributed its 1,000th e-gift card.
Additionally, Humanitas hosted a table at a WGA picket line and gave away $600 in grocery support to WGA raffle winners.
July 14: Humanitas distributed 14 e-gift cards to WGA writers, including six to WGA Lot Captains in recognition of WGA Captain Appreciation Day, bringing the total number of grocery cards issued to 659.
July 13: To address ongoing need, Humanitas announced the Groceries for Writers project is now accepting requests for additional support from WGA East and WGA West writers, even if they have already received a grocery card.
More information on how to request additional support can be found here.
July 12: 14 e-gift cards were distributed to WGA writers, raising the total of cards sent to WGA writers to 645.
July 7: Humanitas sent 11 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total distributed to 631.
July 5: Humanitas issued 16 e-gift cards to WGA writers, bringing the total number distributed up to 620.
July 2: Humanitas distributed approximately 40 CSA produce and shelf-stable bundles for WGA writers in the Los Angeles area.
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June 30: Humanitas supplied e-gift cards to 4 additional WGA writers, increasing the total number distributed to 604.
June 28: Humanitas supplied e-gift cards to 7 WGA writers, bringing the total distributed up to 600. Humanitas also opened registration for a second free farm bundle pickup in partnership with Earth Matterz and Paper or Plastik Cafe.
June 23: Humanitas supplied e-gift cards to 14 WGA writers throughout the week, bringing the total distributed to 593.
June 17: Humanitas supplied e-gift cards to 51 WGA writers throughout the week, bringing the total distributed to 579.
June 10: Humanitas distributed 50 CSA produce and shelf-stable bundles for WGA writers in the Los Angeles area.
June 8: Humanitas sent an additional 59 e-gift cards over the course of the week, bringing the total distributed up to 528.
June 7: Humanitas expanded its Groceries for Writers effort to include a free farm bundle pickup in partnership with Earth Matterz and Paper or Plastik Cafe.
June 2: Humanitas sent an additional 24 e-gift cards over the course of the week, bringing the total distributed up to 469.
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May 26: Humanitas sent an additional 56 e-gift cards, bringing the total distributed up to 445.
May 19: Humanitas sent an additional 20 e-gift cards, bringing the total distributed up to 389. In addition, Humanitas delivered 19 picket line and family care packages to WGA writers.
May 16: Humanitas sent a second round of 169 e-gift cards. The recipients of this round were determined on a first come, first served basis with priority going to early career writers.
May 12: Humanitas sent a first round of 200 e-gift cards. The recipients of this first round were determined on a first come, first served basis with priority going to early career writers.
May 8: Groceries for Writers launched.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR WRITERS
Sometimes donors leave notes of encouragement for our staff, but oftentimes, the notes are for writers. We wanted to collect and present them in a video teaser so the folx we’re supporting can feel the love and be inspired by them. Click the button below to view them all.
Special Thanks To Our Donors
Since launching on May 8, 2023, Humanitas has received over
1,700 individual donations for Groceries for Writers.
Donors hail from 49 states, Washington D.C., and the Marshall Islands. International donations have come in from 29 countries across the globe, spanning both hemispheres.
Greg Garcia
John N. Calley Foundation
Nick Antosca
Laurie Baughman
Jenny Bicks
Shane Brennan
Cindy Chupack
Carter Covington and Sean Smith
Charles Day
The Discussing Film Community
John Doble
Bill Dubuque
April Fitzsimmons
Brigitte and Hart Hanson
Marshall Herskovitz
Winnie Holzman
Brad Ingelsby
Erika Kennair
Dennis Lehane
Damon Lindelof
Rob Lotterstein
Julia Maddox
Carol Mendelsohn
The Muriel Pollia Foundation
MPAC Foundation on behalf of the MPAC Hollywood Bureau
Shonda Rhimes
Pamela Ribon
David Shore
Snap Foundation
Irene Turner
Patric M. Verrone
Sandra Willard
And to all of our other donors and supporters
who have helped spread the word about this resource.
Click here for a full list of our Groceries for Writers donors.
The Groceries for Writers donor list will continue to update as Humanitas receives further donations during the ongoing Writers Strike.
