If you are working from home because of the COVID-19 crisis, you are likely saving money on everyday expenses and might find yourself unexpectedly in a better position to donate than usual.

We Got You, Bay Area  is raising funds for relief efforts that are carrying out critical work to support people who need support during the COVID-19 crisis.

We will split donations evenly between the following organizations and projects:

Oakland Food Service Workers Relief Fund

Started by a group of Oakland food service workers who have been drastically affected by the COVID-19 crisis, this relief fund was created to bring aid to hourly workers including bussers, hosts, dishwashers, line cooks, servers, baristas, prep cooks, and more. Even if you can't visit your favorite restaurant during this crisis, you can still support food service workers.

Hand Washing Stations for Unhoused People

Homelessness is inherently a public health crisis, and as COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe, there is a dire need to insure that people who are forced to live on the streets have the necessary resources to protect themselves and others. Homeless people are some of the most vulnerable to infection and without proper support from city and state governments, many are left without the basic means to prevent contamination. This potentially life-saving project is organizing volunteers to build hand-washing stations for houseless communities.

UndocuFund

This organization is offering direct assistance to undocumented people, primarily in the day labor or agriculture industries in Sonoma County. Undocumented immigrants don't qualify for federal government assistance -- and even when they do qualify for services, many are unlikely to pursue those benefits due to fear of immigration enforcement, lack of familiarity with official institutions, and limited English proficiency. Our undocumented neighbors face higher barriers and challenges to recovering from the COVID-19 crisis.

Compass Family Services

Serving people who could easily become homeless, this organization helps families to secure stable housing and attain economic self-sufficiency and family well-being. In response to COVID-19, Compass is providing $500 Family Care Kits ($450 goes directly to a vulnerable family via digital gift cards for emergency supplies such as food, pharmacy needs, and cleaning products. $50 goes toward maintaining emergency remote and in-person services for homeless and at-risk families).

About the "We Got You" Project

Right now, many in our community face anxiety and uncertainty in the face of illness, job loss and hardship. At the same time, others are under the stress of working from home – yet still want to support people impacted by the crisis, even as their time is consumed with balancing work and household/family needs.

Inspired by the principles of mutual aid, We Got You aims to help those in need by utilizing the networks of people working from home to enhance support for COVID-19 relief efforts and increase assistance to vulnerable communities.

We will collect donations throughout the month of April, then re-evaluate depending on how much is raised. 

Your morning coffee and bagel, transit fare, lunch-break meal and happy hour drink are examples of things you unfortunately cannot spend money on right now. Vulnerable communities reeling from the COVID-19 crisis need support now more than ever. Now is the time to give.



To learn more about this effort and the organizations we are supporting, visit bayarea.we-got-you.org .


"Solidarity" Image credit: Dan Perjovschi