Bernie’s campaign suspended direct fundraising activities yesterday. Instead, they are asking supporters to donate to Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, One Fair Wage Emergency Fund, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance:
Meals on Wheels delivers prepared food to seniors all across the country. This is especially important in the pandemic, as seniors are at high risk, and limiting their need to go to the grocery store by delivering these meals is a critical service.
No Kid Hungry makes sure that children get the food they need, especially since schools are closed across the country. Their service is especially important as families who lose their jobs need to keep their kids fed.
Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund is providing direct financial support to restaurant workers who are out of work or have reduced hours because of the pandemic. They are also supporting community organizations of local workers and providing loans to restaurants to re-open when it is safe.
National Domestic Workers Alliance is giving financial support to in-home care workers, nannies, and house cleaners who have to stay home and not work in order to reduce the spread of the virus.
One Fair Wage Emergency Fund gives funds directly to service workers affected by the pandemic, including restaurant, salon, airport, rideshare, and gig economy workers who find themselves out of work or without customers.
These five groups cover a large section of the problems that we are immediately facing as the health crisis creates an economic crisis. While we need to do much, much more as a country, supporting these groups is a good first step to take if you’re able to do so right now.
Living in Missouri, I’m particularly frustrated by the singular and specific lack of leadership form state & local government (I know, I know. I vote, but I’m outnumbered here), and it is strikingly apparent to me that the only clear and decisive leadership we’re seeing on the national stage is here, from Bernie Sanders. Nothing is decided.
