Helping Our Texas Community During The COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 has affected all of us. We are currently working remotely and doing our best to keep our team safe. As Gladiators, our goal is to build communities up and support small-medium sized businesses. If you are in a position to help others, there are several areas where your time and donations can make an impact. We’ve included a shortlist of resources to guide you when you’re ready to support your community.

How Gladiators Are Giving

BookSpring strives to build and improve literacy in children by offering books free of charge to those in need. We had a great time volunteering with this organization this past September. BookSpring is offering online learning activities for kids and is a great resource for parents and caregivers of little ones. They are accepting donations.

Some hospitals are accepting donated protective equipment while others are not due to health risks involving COVID-19. Call your local hospital before you drop off your unused N95 masks and ask about their donation policy. You can also make your own masks and mask covers at home like our teammate, Rachel Dark.

Caring for pets is difficult when you’re sick. If you’d like to foster a pet during this challenging transition, visit Austin Pets Alive for details. Our very own, Erin Mitchell, recently had her foster dog adopted. She is currently on standby for other dogs that are in need.

Hospitality Services 

The service industry was one of the hardest-hit, and they are coming up with some creative ways to help their fellow neighbors. TSO Chinese Delivery is local to Austin, TX, and recently started the #tsogiving campaign. You can make a financial donation that covers the cost of meals for families affected by COVID-19 by sending a Venmo payment to @TSOGIVING. Some restaurants and bars have closed their doors for the foreseeable future, which led to massive lay-offs without severance. To serve those who have served us, you can donate to the USBG. The USBG National Charity Foundation has grant programs available for bartenders and servers who need financial assistance.

Food Programs

While school is closed due to COVID-19, Austin Independent School District (AISD) is providing meals for children under the age of 19 and their parents or caregivers at 70 locations. Meals are available Monday-Friday from 11 am-1 pm. For a list of locations, click here. If you’d like to donate to the AISD Crisis Support Fund, click here.

Central Texas Foodbank is seeking volunteers to help prepare food donations and assist with delivery to mobile food pantries. They currently have weekday, evening, and weekend opportunities available and are monitoring the safety of their team.

PEAS are local partners in education, agriculture, and sustainability. They are offering resources to help kids stay actively engaged through distance learning. If you’d like to donate to their educational programs, click here. Feeding Texas set up an emergency COVID-19 fund to feed hungry Texans. Make a contribution here.

Additional Support

• The Austin Creative Alliance has a grant program called The Artists Emergency Relief Fund for artists who lost work due to COVID-19. You can donate here.
• The Austin Chronicle has a Charitable Giving list on its website. A list of non-profits and gifts needed is available online. You can find out how to donate here.
• Donate to All Together ATX to help local communities and non-profits who are providing grants and relief to Austinites in need.

Stay Tuned and Stay Informed

As Gladiators, we are here to support our community. If you’d like to share additional resources don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear how you are helping your neighbors during this difficult time. We will be updating our blog with additional information as it develops.