UNISON BENEVOLENT FUND EXTENDS A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNISON COVID-19 RELIEF PROGRAM 

TO DATE, RELIEF PROGRAM DONATIONS TOTAL OVER $2.1M WITH HALF ALREADY DISTRIBUTED

 SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, UNISON HAS SEEN A 5500% INCREASE IN RELIEF APPLICATIONS, WITH NEW APPLICATIONS COMING IN DAILY

 DONATIONS GARNERED THROUGH THE SPOTIFY COVID-19 MUSIC RELIEF PROJECT WERE MATCHED DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR

 Toronto, ON (August 24, 2020) – Unison Benevolent Fund – an assistance program that provides discreet relief to music industry professionals in times of crisis – would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to those who have contributed to the Unison COVID-19 Relief Program, launched earlier this year to provide additional support to the Canadian music community during the global pandemic. To date, over $2.1M has been donated to the relief program, with over half of that amount already distributed and new applications rolling in daily, marking a 5500% increase in relief applications since the onslaught of the pandemic. 

 In addition to the numerous independent fundraising events hosted by artists and organizations, the Unison COVID-19 Relief Program saw an incredible influx in corporate support, with generous donations from Amazon Music, CCMA Foundation, CMRRA, Google/YouTube Music, Molson Coors Beverage Company, RBC Foundation, SiriusXM Canada, Slaight Family Foundation, Sony Music Canada, Spotify, TD Bank Group, Universal Music Canada, Warner Music Canada and additional support garnered from the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief Project and their dollar for dollar matching campaign. 

“Unison sincerely thanks all of our valued industry partners for their unwavering support in making our COVID-19 Relief Program possible,” says Amanda Power, Executive Director of the Unison Benevolent Fund. "When you support Unison, you too become part of our members' safety net. Today, we are happy to recognize the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief Project, and our generous corporate donors for making it possible for us to do critical work in our community. While there is much that remains uncertain, we are beyond grateful to be able to remain dedicated to ensuring artists, crew, and music professionals have the tools and resources they need to build strong, healthy, and sustainable careers.”  

As venues, tours and festivals shut down in response to public health measures to flatten the curve and limit the spread of COVID-19, those in the music industry who rely on the live business for revenue continue to be severely impacted, leaving numerous entertainment professionals out of work and requiring the emergency relief assistance that Unison provides.

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