Members of the Charleston community are coming together to help food and beverage employees bridge the gap during Gov. Henry McMaster’s mandated suspension of dine-in service. Whether it’s $1 or $100, every little bit counts.
Before you donate:
Mike Lata, Steve Palmer, and other local restaurateurs are supporting The Independent Restaurant Coalition, a group that’s proposing income replacement programs with no size limit eligibility. Head to saverestaurants.co to join the cause.
Donate directly to individuals:
Serviceindustry.tips invites you to tip a local food service industry worker using Venmo or the Cash App. Head to the website, tap the Charleston link, and tip the local worker that’s randomly selected for you. The website is currently helping support the industry workers in 63 cities across the country and four in South Carolina.
Holy City Sinner started a Virtual Tip Jar to help Charleston food service industry workers. Take a look at the full list where you can pick who to tip or have a worker randomly selected for you.
TipsInTheJar.com has a directory of local bartenders so you can tip them directly during your next virtual happy hour.
Restaurant staff fundraisers:
The Midnight Society’s “Digital Wallpaper for Tips” is helping out local establishments by selling $1 phone wallpapers. Early Bird Diner, Local 616, Fat Pig Brewing Company, The Sofrito Project, and Park Pizza Co each have their own wallpapers, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to their waitstaff, workers, and bartenders.
At Herd Provisions, $1 from every burger sold will be donated to COVID-19 relief efforts.
Recovery Room Tavern is posting their bartenders’ Venmo handles on their Instagram so you can tip them from home.
Lewis Barbecue is helping out by serving 100 free meals every Thursday to displaced F&B workers who can order online at www.lewisbarbecue.com. Purchase the “food & bev meal deal” and use promo code “CHSstrong.”
Local hot sauce company Red Clay is donating 15 percent of their online sales to displaced F&B employees. They’re also contributing to Butcher & Bee’s “Pay It Forward” campaign geared towards making gift bags featuring essentials like eggs, milk, and vegetables. Sponsor one of these provision bags, which will be given to a restaurant employee who lost his or her job, by donating $10. The bags will be provided on a first come, first served basis, and F&B industry workers can sign up using this form to help ensure pick ups keep up with the social distancing standard.
Restaurant Gofundme drives:
Patrick and Fanny Panella set up a combined page for their displaced employees at Chez Nous, Malagon, and Bin 152. The couple hopes to receive enough donations to continue paying their staff wages while supplementing the tipped employees.
The Alley set up an employee relief fund that will help supply basic necessities for over 50 members of their team. Folks who donate (or have donated) $50 or more will receive a two hour, two lane free bowling party for 12 people.
Basic Kitchen is offering incentives for those who make larger donations to their page (although of course, any donation would be greatly appreciated). $300 buys you a dinner for two and a goodie bag with a candle and a cookbook, while $1000 gets you dinner and drinks for 10 people.
Two members of the Workshop family are joining forces to cook for those in need. Nikko Cagalanan from Mansueta’s and Jacob Schor from Julius Delicatessen started a page that will go towards ingredients for meals they are preparing at One80 Place, the Neighborhood House, and the Ronald McDonald House.
Another Workshop stall, Chuck & Patty’s set up an employee relief fund with a goal of $7,000.
King Street cocktail bar Proof has set up a page setting out to raise $50,000 that would help pay employees, overhead, and resident chefs like 2 Nixons.
The Easton Porter Group set up a page that will help the employees at Zero Restaurant + Bar and Wild Common. All donations will go to laid off employees across the Easton Porter Group’s five properties.
Mike Lata has raised over $41,000 on his page dedicated to his employees at The Ordinary and FIG.
The folks at Fleet Landing are raising money to help pay for employee health insurance and pay for staff.
Bay Street Biergarten set up a GoFundMe dedicated to displaced members of their team.
167 Raw, Home Team BBQ, High Thyme, and Taco Boy also set up GoFundMe pages benefiting their employees.
Remember, local businesses need our support as we all do our parts to stop the spread. If you have the means, donate, order take out, and spread the word.
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