Last week our small company looked for a way to help friends hurt by Covid-19. Everyone knows someone struggling. We decided to give each employee $100 to help an affected friend in need. Here are some of the inspiring stories of people they helped. #helpfirst #give100

“A friend that helps with our yard work text me to get a few dollars so his wife could get groceries that morning. He is a construction worker, his wife cleans hospitals, they have three children. Giving them the $100 was a no brainer. I feel better already today.”

“One of my best friends who's still in college, had been working 2 jobs for the last year (deli + movie theater) to cover rent and food, but he recently got laid off due to Covid. Hopefully this takes a little bit of stress off his mind.”

Read this story of a team member whose father recently passed away and how he reached out to help someone in his late father's faith community.

“We have a family friend driving +200 miles to Louisville multiple times a month to get bone marrow transplants and chemo therapy. Using the $100 to help him with gas or food! So glad to be able to help.”

“Our piano tuner is having everyone cancel on him, and his wife is a massage therapist in the same boat, both self employed. They have 2 teens. Some of us have prepaid for our next piano tuning, but I know it’s not enough. An extra $100 will surely be appreciated.”

“My wonderful friend and esthetician is a single mom to a 3-year old whose salon has been shut down for 3 weeks already. I’m sure this is a really difficult time for her.”

"A friend of mine is a massage therapist, who has been back and forth begging her landlord for help deferring rent. Like Nathan and his piano tuner, I pre-paid for my next massage, but this helps so much!!"

"My long time friend lost her job. She then tried to pick up bartending and serving shift but ultimately lost those too. Now she has no income and is volunteering at a small grocery store in Cole Valley to shop for the elderly. This is going to help her out so much!"

"I used the $100 for a safeway giftcard for the family of a kid that I mentor - grandpa is the only one working and work is not guaranteed. I dropped it off at their house and had myself a good cry because I haven't been able to see my kiddo for a month now."

"Luckily my friends were not economically affected so far so I decided to donate the $100 to the https://redcross.org  in Argentina."

"One of my dearest friends ran a startup house in Palo Alto several years ago and now runs one in her native Mallorca Spain. She had to shut it down and end all the current leases till things clear up. Absolutely elated and grateful to be able to help her out in a way."

"A local group ( https://maslowproject.com ) focuses on teens/children who don’t have homes or are from unsafe homes in our area. We knew a couple teens who lived in vans through high school. Their staff isn't working from home during quarantine...I'm donating to them."

"When I lived in Tallahassee we donated a bunch of stuff so the founder of a thrift store called Savvy Salvage to help get his thrift store going. He was always was so patient and positive. I've followed him online since and I know COVID has really hurt his store."

"My buddy Jason has been making washable facemasks and isn’t asking for any money in return. Donated my $100 to his cause."

"I donated to https://techtonica.wedid.it  last night as their campaign closed. I’ve occasionally volunteered for them and their program seems well designed. Having seen the current cohort it’d be pretty sad if they had to quit pursuing their passion for programming."

"Growing up in Haiti, Lili Deska came to help at our home when my mom was sick with hepatitis. We essentially became a family. It’s very hard to miss any work in Haiti due to the economic environment and impossible to work remotely. I'm sending the $100 to her family."

"A friend in Atlanta is a freelance wardrobe and prop stylist. I wasn't planning on giving my $100 to her but after hearing some of what she's been going through lately, it felt like the right thing to do. I decided to offer it at the end of our chat. She was very grateful."

"My wife is a middle school teacher for many undocumented families as well as families in shelters. $100 is being given anonymously to help one of those families who has been in the shelter since the beginning of the year."

---> Being part of this has given me the most peace I've felt since Covid19 began. If you can, even $100 can make a huge difference in someone's life. Maybe your company can? If you can't, it's ok. Sharing your time or talents with someone else may help even more. #helpfirst #100