Giving back during COVID-19
At a time of distress, we’ve seen an incredible amount of generosity from individuals, businesses, and organizations within Downtown. If you're looking for some good news to boost your spirits, or are looking for ways to give back yourself, look no further. Know of a good great deed that’s happening as a result of COVID-19 not listed here? Share it with us via email at hello@downtownalbany.org or by using #SupportsmAlbany in your social posts.
Serving those who’ve served us
Formed as a result of the fallout from COVID-19 are multiple groups and platforms giving the community the ability to financially assist and feed those who’ve fed us for so long. Feed Albany was created to provide prepared and packaged meals to individuals in the Capital District who’ve been impacted by the disease, with a special focus on unemployed restaurant workers. If you are in need of assistance or are able to help via the use of a commercial kitchen, volunteer time, or financial donation, click here.
As a way to give back directly to hospitality industry employees, a group of Capital Region business owners came together to start Tip Your Bartender. As the website points out, it’s local bartenders, chefs, and cooks that have taken care of you, celebrated with you, and cried with you. With Tip Your Bartender, you can directly contribute to those employees via their Venmo or PayPal accounts (there’s also an option to donate to a general fund).
You can’t spell heart without art
Albany Center Gallery has long believed that art belongs, well, outside of the gallery walls too. In the most recent example of this, they recently installed four moveable murals at Albany Medical Center. Each piece speaking to togetherness, the gallery wrote in a Facebook post that the murals “speak to the community’s gratitude and support for its health care workers as well as offer messages of hope amid the coronavirus pandemic.” View the murals here.
The support doesn’t stop there for Albany Center Gallery. They’ve partnered with a number of individuals and organizations to create The Creative Impact: Capital Region Artist Fund to help individual artists from Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties. If you’re an artist seeking assistance, or you’d like to donate to the fund, click here.
From the hair salon to hospital employees
Seeing the chance to offer health care professionals protection, Bombshell Hair and Beauty Studio owner Kelly Brunina donated 1,500 pairs of gloves from the business to St. Peter's Hospital.
Their kindness is in the bag
Downtown-based law firm O'Connell and Aronowitz donated and delivered over 50 bags of groceries and gift cards to the Veterans and Community Housing Coalition.
Something sweet at a bitter time
While closed to the public, Cider Belly Doughnuts has still been delivering their delicius doughnuts to those in need. Namely, the food pantry, out of work restaurant employees, and front line workers.
