Alec Baldwin Named SAG Foundation Ambassador

3:21 PM PST 1/23/2012 by Gregg Kilday

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In the new position, the "30 Rock" actor will raise awareness about the foundation's philanthropic efforts.

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Alec Baldwin has been named SAG Foundation Ambassador, a new position designed to draw attention to the national non-profit organization.

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His appointment was announced Monday by SAG Foundation president JoBeth Williams.

In his new post, Baldwin will be charged with raising awareness within the acting community about the Foundation, which was founded in 1985, and its philanthropic efforts while also encouraging contributions from the general public.

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A new public service announcement featuring Baldwin will premiere at the Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony on Sunday. Among the initiatives the SAG Foundation supports are the children’s literacy core program BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), which engages 2000 actors nationwide in reading to over 100,000 children each month; the Catastrophic Health Fund and Emergency Assistance Programs, which provide financial aid to professional actors who are suffering from work-prohibitive illness or injury or are struggling to maintain the basic necessities of life; and the educational facilities the Actor Center and the Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab.

“The SAG Foundation is extremely fortunate to have Alec Baldwin on board as our first SAG Ambassador,” Williams said. “His talent, intelligence, and compassion will greatly benefit the countless working actors we serve on a daily basis. By accepting this position, Alec is already speaking on behalf of his fellow actor, and his involvement will do much to strengthen and protect the artistic community.”

Baldwin, who is nominated this year as both best comedy series actor and as part of the best comedy ensemble for his work in 30 Rock, said, “It is personally important to me that SAG members support the SAG Foundation. “Through my involvement, I hope to bring greater recognition to its philanthropic and educational efforts.”