Tucson restaurant and bar workers displaced by the coronavirus are getting a hand up from Tucsonβs Barrio Brewing Foundation Fund, which is donating $25,000 toward grocery gift cards.
Barrio Brewing Co. founders Dennis and Tauna Arnold launched the fund last fall with the intent of doing small gestures to help people in need.
The $25,000 will cover the cost of $50 grocery gift cards for 500 people.
Businesses can apply through the Tucson Metro Chamber by emailingΒ abegody@tucsonchamber.orgΒ by the end of the day Friday, April 10. Be sure to include the business name and contact information.
It is the first campaign of the fund.
βThere are people in the business who live paycheck to paycheck,β Dennis Arnold said. βWe came up with the idea β¦ of grocery cards.β
The Barrio fund donated the money for the gift card campaign to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, which has partnered with Greater Tucson Leadership to distribute the cards.
Restaurants and bars have until the end of the day Friday, April 10, to apply and each restaurant selected will receive five gift cards to distribute to workers, said Carrie Durham, Greater Tucson Leadershipβs events and community relations director.
βThere is not going to be enough money for everybody, but we are going to be able to reach 500 individuals,β Durham said, noting that going through the businesses and giving each the same number of cards ensures the effort will be fair.
Durham said they hope to distribute the cards to businesses next week.
Meanwhile, anyone wanting to donate to the Barrio Brewing Foundation Fundβs efforts can do so through the Greater Tucson Leadershipβs website, greatertucsonleadership.org. Be sure to indicate that the donation is earmarked for the restaurant and bar workers relief efforts.