{"id":36515,"date":"2020-03-25T16:28:28","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T16:28:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shippingeasy.com\/?p=36515"},"modified":"2022-05-26T09:19:20","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T14:19:20","slug":"austin-community-support-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shippingeasy.com\/blog\/austin-community-support-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Awesome ways Austin companies have stepped up to support this community"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We are living through a time like few of us have ever experienced right now. Throughout this pandemic, people are often feeling lost, scared, even hopeless. Business owners are concerned whether they\u2019ll be able to keep their businesses running and reopen the doors after weathering the COVID-19 storm.<\/p>\n

But in spite of all that, there are local businesses and business owners who are stepping up to support our community. They\u2019re going out of their way to find ways to give back and help those who may not be able to help themselves. Let\u2019s shine a little light on a handful of those businesses.<\/p>\n

Tiff\u2019s Treats<\/h2>\n

Tiff Leon, owner of the beloved warm cookie delivery business Tiff\u2019s Treats, has stepped up to provide water<\/a> to those who can\u2019t find it at the grocery stores. Tiff\u2019s Treats organized the purchase of \u201cMusic Water\u201d from FBR Management (who lost a substantial amount of business from its bars and restaurants with all the spring festivals\u2019 cancellations but is still trying to support its employees). They are selling this water at cost to be delivered to homes, with customers just covering the delivery costs.<\/p>\n

\"Tiff's<\/p>\n

Photo from a Tiff’s Treats team retreat<\/center><\/p>\n

Austin Bars and Restaurants<\/h2>\n

Some of the businesses most affected during the quarantines happening in Austin, some of these restaurant owners refuse to hide away and lament. Instead, Crema Bakery and Cafe<\/a> in south Austin and Tso Chinese Delivery<\/a> are offering free meals<\/a> to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and in need of meals.<\/p>\n

Forbes reports<\/a> that The Eleanor opened its doors to the public on March 12, inviting bartenders and support staff to work shifts with guaranteed minimum pay of $150 per person. Half of all sales benefited the Austin chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild as well as the Austin Food & Wine Alliance. They are also hosting bartenders from Nashville who traveled to Austin to work SXSW while their home bars are being repaired following the tornadoes earlier this month. On those evenings, a portion of sales is being donated to the Nashville chapter of the USBG.<\/p>\n

Austin Community Foundation<\/h2>\n

The Austin Community Foundation created Stand With Austin<\/a> to raise and match donations that support nonprofits assisting individuals and small businesses most negatively impacted by the cancellation of SXSW and least able to recover on their own.<\/p>\n

\"Stand<\/p>\n

Stamps family of companies<\/h2>\n

Stamps.com<\/a>, of which ShippingEasy<\/a>, ShipStation<\/a>, ShipEngine<\/a> (all three in Austin), and Shipworks<\/a> (based in St. Louis) are subsidiaries, took a proactive approach to send employees to work from home (see some of our smiling faces below).<\/p>\n

With a budget no longer dedicated to stocking pantries and refrigerators in the office, the company donated 40,000 meals to the Central Texas Food Bank<\/a><\/strong> (link takes you to the donation site, if you’d like to help) to support those in need.<\/p>\n

\"Stamps<\/p>\n

Stamps family of employees share a virtual happy hour on our first Friday from home.<\/center><\/p>\n

Everlywell<\/h2>\n

At-home testing kit startup Everlywell<\/a> has been relentlessly pushing to create in-home tests for the COVID-19 virus. They aim to make it convenient for Austinites stuck in their homes to be able to take a test to see if they are positive for COVID-19 if they\u2019re concerned they\u2019re showing symptoms. The company is also taking requests from medical facilities who are struggling to get the supplies they need for testing.<\/p>\n

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2\/ We are committed to making a COVID-19 test available to consumers and are encouraged by the most recent WH briefing this evening. We are actively working with the FDA on a path forward for COVID-19 sample self-collection in a home setting.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Everlywell (@everly_well) March 23, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n