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Following Governor Jay Inslee's mandatory directive issued on Monday, March 16, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Grand Cinema was forced to close its doors. While this was a responsible move for the health of our community, it also meant that starting Friday, March 20, 100% of employees at The Grand Cinema were laid off .
Our staff have applied for unemployment and salaried employees' health insurance will continue during this temporary closure. However, many of us are hourly employees who already live paycheck-to-paycheck, who do not have health insurance during this unprecedented health crisis.
We hope more robust public resources will become available, but we also must meet the challenges ahead with mutual aid and solidarity. This fund will be used for immediate emergency needs, including groceries, rent, and healthcare. We will distribute it equitably between ~20 staff based on needs.
We at The Grand Cinema believe in the art of film and the power of storytelling. We love our community. We love being a space that brings people together. Some of us have worked here for months; some for over a decade. We look forward to serving our community again in the future (we miss our popcorn with real butter as much as you do!), but in this present moment, we need the support of our community to help meet the needs of our most vulnerable staff during this challenging time.
The Grand Cinema is located in Tacoma, Washington, and is the only nonprofit, independent, art house movie theater in Pierce County. Any questions can be directed to tanya[at]grandcinema[dot]com or wendell[at]grandcinema[dot]com.
Our staff have applied for unemployment and salaried employees' health insurance will continue during this temporary closure. However, many of us are hourly employees who already live paycheck-to-paycheck, who do not have health insurance during this unprecedented health crisis.
We hope more robust public resources will become available, but we also must meet the challenges ahead with mutual aid and solidarity. This fund will be used for immediate emergency needs, including groceries, rent, and healthcare. We will distribute it equitably between ~20 staff based on needs.
We at The Grand Cinema believe in the art of film and the power of storytelling. We love our community. We love being a space that brings people together. Some of us have worked here for months; some for over a decade. We look forward to serving our community again in the future (we miss our popcorn with real butter as much as you do!), but in this present moment, we need the support of our community to help meet the needs of our most vulnerable staff during this challenging time.
The Grand Cinema is located in Tacoma, Washington, and is the only nonprofit, independent, art house movie theater in Pierce County. Any questions can be directed to tanya[at]grandcinema[dot]com or wendell[at]grandcinema[dot]com.