ST. LOUIS — Two women, one in health care and the other in the food an beverage industry, are helping their colleagues and friends who have fallen on hard times as the country battles the coronavirus.
They came up with a way for strangers to support each other through this hard time with a Facebook group: 'Adopt a Server.'
As of Friday morning, there are 400 people on the wait list to receive a small parcel of hope.
"The concept isn’t about fixing anything or paying someone bill,” Sheri Beezley, nurse/organizer said. “It’s about spreading goodwill, good vibes."
Getting connected is easy - join the Facebook group 'Adopt a Server.'
A person in the food and beverage industry makes an Amazon Wish List. One of the administrators connects a host with someone who has fallen on hard times.
"It’s like secret Santa," Beezley said.
“It's rough,” said Reginald Campbell who hasn’t been able to cook for Llewelyn’s Pub in St. Charles in weeks.
“I can whip up good seafood,” Campbell said. He’s been cooking in the best restaurants around town for nearly 20 years.
After seeing how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted other parts of the country and world, he knew the shutdown would be long and hard.
Campbell even helped out a few people in need at first, then karma came back around with a package of his own.
“Toothpaste, laundry detergent, candy, nothing crazy,” he said.
It’s just a little something, something to keep him and others going.
"We have people that spend, you know, as low as like $20 to $50 just whatever they can do to help out," Destiny Massey said.
For everyone involved, this is another reminder of what’s important.
"It's someone out here who cares," Campbell said.
A handful of the out-of-work servers are helping with a different life saving mission. They are making masks and donating them to anyone who wants or needs them.
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