Coronavirus: Ways to Help Those Affected

Last update: 4/29/20 at 10:12 am

As the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues, many people are either out of work or have seen their hours significantly cut. In an effort to help locals affected by this pandemic, several Charleston area organizations are offering their help or collecting donations.

Look below to see a list of places that are offering their assistance and ways you can help:

Virtual Tip Jars

• Holy City Sinner (with the help of a couple friends) was inspired by nationwide efforts to keep artists and servers fed, and created a Virtual Tip Jar. This is a good way for you to support your local bartenders and service industry folks (and more)
  • See the full list here
  • If you would like to be added to the list, click here
• A separate Virtual Tip Jar was created by someone in the food & bev community. This one randomly selects who you are going to tip. Click here to view
• A local company launched “Tips in the Jar,” which you can view here.

DONATIONS

• LOCAL
  • Trident United Way, in partnership with The Post and Courier, has launched the Tri-County COVID-19 Response Fund
  • You can donate to MUSC here
    • If you’re interested in donating supplies/items to MUSC, click here for information
  • You can donate to Roper St. Francis here
  • Lowcountry Food Bank
  • Charleston Hope is accepting donations of household items and more
  • Charleston Musician Relief
  • COVID-19 Relief for Students Working in the Culinary Industry (Bread + Butter)
  • Find a Lowcountry Blessing Box (over 100 locations!) to “leave what you can, take what you need”
  • The Post & Courier has a list of cultural organizations that you can donate to
  • Feeding Our Heroes – SC
  • I Serve With Joy has several initiatives they are accepting donations
  • Vital Hospitality: CHS – Serving meals to those on the frontlines
  • Meals for MUSC Care Team
  • Vital Hospitality CHS – mission is to feed healthcare workers and first responders while supporting the local restaurant community
  • Restaurant & Restaurant Groups
    • The Alley Employee Relief Fund
    • Fleet Landing Employee Relief Fund
    • Chuck & Patty’s Employee Fund
    • Food is Good Restaurant Worker Relief Fund
    • Easton Porter Group Employee Relief GoFundMe
    • Proof on King coronavirus relief fund
    • Blue Steel Promotions has organized a fundraiser for their partner bars
    • Cru Cafe and Purlieu Employee Relief Fund Auction
    • Doar Bros. Staff Fundraiser
    • Bay Street Biergarten’s Virtual Tip Jar
    • Help King of Pops Spread Unexpected Moments of Happiness
    • Support Our Local Musicians and Singers
    • Meals for MUSC Healthcare Workers
    • Salthouse Catering Employee Relief Fund
      • They are also offering “Coronavirus Catering Stimulus Packages“
    • Basic Kitchen Family Fund
    • Public House Family Support
    • Chez Nous, Malagon & Bin 152 Employee Relief Fund
    • SouthernEagle Distributor and some others have setup a fundraiser
    • Charleston Mix has started a “Tips for Tips” Program
    • Spread the Love Relief Fund
    • Mex 1 Coastal Cantina Launches Auction to Benefit Staff
  • Folly Beach Employee Relief Fund
  • Community Resource Center Summerville is a referral source that serves the lower socio-economic population
  • A local man has started a fundraiser for food and beverage workers. If he hits his goal, he’ll shave his head on Facebook Live. Click here to donate
  • Homeless Shelters
    • One80 Place – donate online one80place.org or call 843-723-9477 for information about providing supplies
      • You can also volunteer to serve meals
    • Dorchester County Community Outreach, Summerville – dcco4homeless.org for donations, call 843-900-4315 to drop off supplies
  • Don’t forget – all local charities could still use your donations. They have had to cancel fundraising events and opportunities, which could hurt their efforts to raise money
  • CSU creates COVID-19 student emergency care fund
  • Pet Helpers is asking for monetary donations and dry cat and dog food
• NATIONAL
  • The Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
  • The U.S. Bartenders Guild’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program
  • The Giving Kitchen’s Emergency Assistance Program
  • Buy a gift card to an Indigo Road Hospitality restaurant and they will donate 100% of the proceeds to their team
• BLOOD DONATIONS
  • Blood donations are also needed
  • Visit the websites for the Red Cross and The Blood Connection to see where you can donate

PURCHASES

• Find out which restaurants, bars, and breweries are offering take-out and delivery options here
• Find out which businesses are offering gift certificates, online ordering, delivery, virtual services, and much more by visiting BuyLocalChs.com.
• The Summerville Burrito Co. is taking donations for meals for healthcare workers. They’ll deliver catering to hospitals and medical offices, which will also allow the restaurant to continue to employ their staff
• The Post & Courier created a list of local restaurant/brewery merchandise you can purchase
• Buy merchandise and albums from local musicians and/or stream their music on platforms like Spotify, iTunes, etc.
• Charleston’s Women Entrepreneurs Inc. created a Gift Card Marketplace that features discounted digital vouchers from local women-owned businesses that can be bought today and redeemed up to 1 year later
• Patron is selling gift cards to local businesses at a discounted rate
• Uptown Social is running a “Pledge-a-Pizza Party” promotion

VOLUNTEERING

• Shifa Clinic’s COVID 19 Emergency Relief
• To volunteer with the Lowcountry Food Bank, click here
  • Visit the LCFB website for a county-by-county listing of food distributions and school meal sites. To donate funds to enable the LCFB to purchase food and boxes and support additional food distributions during COVID-19, visit their COVID-19 Response web page.
• Charleston Promise Neighborhood and Enough Pie have created a “buddy system” for our most vulnerable elders in Joseph Floyd Manor, at Bridgeview Village, and at Brighton Place (in West Ashley). Sign-up to be a community buddy here
• Charleston Area Senior Citizens’ Meals on Wheels of Charleston is in need of volunteer. Click here for more information.
• Enough Pie’s “Community Buddy” program
  • Volunteers get paired with up to five elderly “buddies” from local nursing homes
• Tricounty Family Ministries
  • Click here for volunteer opportunities

PETITIONS

• Local
  • Aid for workers in the hospitality industry affected by Covid-19
• National
  • Federal Aid Package for Cosmetology/Barber/Body Work Industry

ADVOCATING

• From Lowcountry Local First: “The federal government must respond quickly and aggressively to keep small businesses solvent through the crisis. Small businesses need grants and subsidies. Loans alone will leave many small businesses crippled by debt and at risk of failure”
  • They encourage you to call Congress and share that message. Find your representatives via this link.

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