Help the help! COVID-19 Emergency Fund
Donation protected
Wow! The world is descending into madness! Imagine if you were not only afraid of running out of toilet paper, but also did not know where your next rent/mortgage payment was coming from because the restaurant/store that provides your only source of income is closed for two weeks, and no one is giving you paid leave? I bet you'd be pretty stressed out and terrified! I sure would be!
Now think about the last time you went out for a really great dinner. How many people helped make that experience special for you: Was there a server that made you feel particularly well taken care-of and special? Was there a bartender who acted like he/she/they would rather spend five minutes talking to you about craft beer than do ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD? Was there a cook who made sure your food was made just right and so extra delicious? Was there a dishwasher who made sure there wasn't gross sh*& and coronavirus all over your water glass??? I bet there was! Now think about how every single one of those people is probably wondering how much quarantine their bank accounts can take before they can no longer afford basic human living expenses.
You can help!!! Help the help! They've been helping you for years!
Need to know more before opening up your electronic-wallet and pouring money into this fundraiser? FAQs provided below:
What is this fund for?
As the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic increases, more and more people are finding themselves unexpectedly out of work on very short notice. There is no federal law in place in the United States requiring that workers be offered paid leave due to illness, and while many industries provide employees with paid time off, for workers in service jobs that are not unionized this tends to be the exception more than the rule. Even in states that have passed laws mandating paid time off for service workers, ask your friendly neighborhood server, bartender, or cook how many employers they've had who have actually followed through and see what they say. I promise you, very few will have a positive story to tell. In the wake of ever more common quarantining practices in COVID-19 affected states, Nancy Pelosi has proposed a bill providing financial relief to struggling employees, however passing it continues to prove difficult. We can all hope that eventually our government will come through for us, but what about the people who need to pay rent now, and can't wait for the wheels of politics to finish turning? What about the backlog of people in need that will invariably occur even if the bill passes? This fund is meant to act as emergency relief to service industry workers who are not able to support themselves and their families through this crisis.
Who am I?
My name is Ari Soleil. I am a High School Science teacher and fifteen-year restaurant industry veteran. I have lived the struggle of going to work extremely sick, injured, or despite extreme weather conditions because missing a shift means losing hundreds of dollars, and worrying for the security of my employment. I am fortunate enough to have recently found employment that supports me during our forced quarantine, but the large majority of my friends and loved ones are not so lucky. Through my time in the industry, I was so blessed to come into contact with some of the most empathetic, strong, beautiful, and hard-working people I have ever met. In the past week I have seen this community of people, who supported me through some of the most financially, physically, and emotionally difficult times in my life stricken by fear for their livelihood and stability.
I have almost 900 friends on facebook. That means if every one of those people gives just $10, we would be able to offer $9000 dollars worth of support to people in an incredibly difficult position from an industry of workers that is constantly falling through the cracks.
What constitutes "service industry" work, and who will benefit?
Money from the fund will be available to people who are out of work due to COVID-19 quarantine and have a sole or primary source of income in:
~Retail: cashiers, salespeople, greeters, all stock/inventory positions
~Food service: Bartenders, servers, cooks, bussers, door-people/bouncers/hosts, baristas, dishwashers
~Other services: Piercing/tattoo, massage therapists, receptionists, dancers/legal sex-workers, gas station attendants, hair stylists
I am sorry if I forgot anyone!
Why is this limited to service industry when EVERYONE is affected by the epidemic?
It's true! There are SO many people in so many different lines of work that are affected directly/indirectly by the outbreak. Unfortunately, I am only one girl managing one fund, and at this point I can't help everyone! The service industry is close and important to me personally. It is also an industry of people who are at high risk of infection, as their livelihood requires them to interact closely with the public, and touch a lot of forks/plates/napkins that have touched stranger's mouths, and are very rarely provided for by their employers. I absolutely encourage others to create similar emergency funds for those who tend to fall through the cracks in times of crisis. If the fundraiser is successful, I would very much like to expand it to include a broader range of professions.
How will money from the fund be distributed?
I will begin to distribute aid upon request once this fundraiser makes its first $1,000. Money will be given via Venmo on a first-come-first-served basis with priority given to individuals with children or other family members depending on them financially. Priority will also be given to immunocompromised individuals who may have to self-quarantine for extended periods for their own safety.
See the link provided for potential recipients further down this page for more information on who will benefit.
What happens to money left over in the fund when the crisis is contained?
Any money remaining will be donated to one of the number of organizations providing aid to people suffering from infectious disease in developing countries. The specific organization we donate to will be decided when that time comes by polling donors through social media.
How will you make sure the beneficiaries of the fund are actually service people, and are actually "in need:"
To be honest, as I said before I am only one girl managing one fund on the internet. I am creating a request form that requires those who apply for aid to provide their workplace and, in the case of people I don't personally know, a reference (boss or co-worker) who can confirm the person's situation. That said, there is only so much I can do and I am putting a fair amount of trust in the "honor system." I sincerely hope that people will not request money from the fund until they have exhausted other support options, and that they will have the good sense to understand that taking advantage of that trust is equivalent to taking money from fellow service-people who may not have those safety nets in place.
I can't stop people from being selfish and terrible, but I like to think that the large majority are not.
I am a service person who has lost my income due to quarantine, how can I request aid?
The first step is to follow me on instagram if you are not already my friend/follower on instagram or facebook . I will post updates there when there is money available in the fund.
The next step is to visit this website , where you will find info on requesting emergency funds.
Now think about the last time you went out for a really great dinner. How many people helped make that experience special for you: Was there a server that made you feel particularly well taken care-of and special? Was there a bartender who acted like he/she/they would rather spend five minutes talking to you about craft beer than do ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD? Was there a cook who made sure your food was made just right and so extra delicious? Was there a dishwasher who made sure there wasn't gross sh*& and coronavirus all over your water glass??? I bet there was! Now think about how every single one of those people is probably wondering how much quarantine their bank accounts can take before they can no longer afford basic human living expenses.
You can help!!! Help the help! They've been helping you for years!
Need to know more before opening up your electronic-wallet and pouring money into this fundraiser? FAQs provided below:
What is this fund for?
As the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic increases, more and more people are finding themselves unexpectedly out of work on very short notice. There is no federal law in place in the United States requiring that workers be offered paid leave due to illness, and while many industries provide employees with paid time off, for workers in service jobs that are not unionized this tends to be the exception more than the rule. Even in states that have passed laws mandating paid time off for service workers, ask your friendly neighborhood server, bartender, or cook how many employers they've had who have actually followed through and see what they say. I promise you, very few will have a positive story to tell. In the wake of ever more common quarantining practices in COVID-19 affected states, Nancy Pelosi has proposed a bill providing financial relief to struggling employees, however passing it continues to prove difficult. We can all hope that eventually our government will come through for us, but what about the people who need to pay rent now, and can't wait for the wheels of politics to finish turning? What about the backlog of people in need that will invariably occur even if the bill passes? This fund is meant to act as emergency relief to service industry workers who are not able to support themselves and their families through this crisis.
Who am I?
My name is Ari Soleil. I am a High School Science teacher and fifteen-year restaurant industry veteran. I have lived the struggle of going to work extremely sick, injured, or despite extreme weather conditions because missing a shift means losing hundreds of dollars, and worrying for the security of my employment. I am fortunate enough to have recently found employment that supports me during our forced quarantine, but the large majority of my friends and loved ones are not so lucky. Through my time in the industry, I was so blessed to come into contact with some of the most empathetic, strong, beautiful, and hard-working people I have ever met. In the past week I have seen this community of people, who supported me through some of the most financially, physically, and emotionally difficult times in my life stricken by fear for their livelihood and stability.
I have almost 900 friends on facebook. That means if every one of those people gives just $10, we would be able to offer $9000 dollars worth of support to people in an incredibly difficult position from an industry of workers that is constantly falling through the cracks.
What constitutes "service industry" work, and who will benefit?
Money from the fund will be available to people who are out of work due to COVID-19 quarantine and have a sole or primary source of income in:
~Retail: cashiers, salespeople, greeters, all stock/inventory positions
~Food service: Bartenders, servers, cooks, bussers, door-people/bouncers/hosts, baristas, dishwashers
~Other services: Piercing/tattoo, massage therapists, receptionists, dancers/legal sex-workers, gas station attendants, hair stylists
I am sorry if I forgot anyone!
Why is this limited to service industry when EVERYONE is affected by the epidemic?
It's true! There are SO many people in so many different lines of work that are affected directly/indirectly by the outbreak. Unfortunately, I am only one girl managing one fund, and at this point I can't help everyone! The service industry is close and important to me personally. It is also an industry of people who are at high risk of infection, as their livelihood requires them to interact closely with the public, and touch a lot of forks/plates/napkins that have touched stranger's mouths, and are very rarely provided for by their employers. I absolutely encourage others to create similar emergency funds for those who tend to fall through the cracks in times of crisis. If the fundraiser is successful, I would very much like to expand it to include a broader range of professions.
How will money from the fund be distributed?
I will begin to distribute aid upon request once this fundraiser makes its first $1,000. Money will be given via Venmo on a first-come-first-served basis with priority given to individuals with children or other family members depending on them financially. Priority will also be given to immunocompromised individuals who may have to self-quarantine for extended periods for their own safety.
See the link provided for potential recipients further down this page for more information on who will benefit.
What happens to money left over in the fund when the crisis is contained?
Any money remaining will be donated to one of the number of organizations providing aid to people suffering from infectious disease in developing countries. The specific organization we donate to will be decided when that time comes by polling donors through social media.
How will you make sure the beneficiaries of the fund are actually service people, and are actually "in need:"
To be honest, as I said before I am only one girl managing one fund on the internet. I am creating a request form that requires those who apply for aid to provide their workplace and, in the case of people I don't personally know, a reference (boss or co-worker) who can confirm the person's situation. That said, there is only so much I can do and I am putting a fair amount of trust in the "honor system." I sincerely hope that people will not request money from the fund until they have exhausted other support options, and that they will have the good sense to understand that taking advantage of that trust is equivalent to taking money from fellow service-people who may not have those safety nets in place.
I can't stop people from being selfish and terrible, but I like to think that the large majority are not.
I am a service person who has lost my income due to quarantine, how can I request aid?
The first step is to follow me on instagram if you are not already my friend/follower on instagram or facebook . I will post updates there when there is money available in the fund.
The next step is to visit this website , where you will find info on requesting emergency funds.
Organizer
Ariel Barnett-Soleil
Organizer
Portland, ME