AUSTIN, Texas -- When mandates were handed down that bars and restaurants be closed and could only do delivery and takeout, it instantly had a major impact on a lot of businesses.

  • Order has taken a toll on Austin-area restaurants, bars
  • Digital tip jars and other online donation sites set up for workers
  • Assistance also being sought for nonprofits 

“Since the health crisis in our community we have seen our business cut in half almost overnight,” said Stacy Lauriat, co-owner of Trianon Coffee in Austin. “It’s been hard on us and our staff and we’re a little worried for them.”

To help their employees, Trianon set up a virtual tip jar to assist staff.

“I worry that limited hours and reduced sales through the coffee shop are impacting our employees' ability to earn tips and a living wage,” Trianon Coffee co-owner Charles Lauriat said. 

The virtual fundraising page was set up by Austin company HelloFund.

“It’s super important right now to support local businesses the best we can and the way we can do that is through online fundraising,” says HelloFund CEO/founder Phil Sanger. “We want these businesses to thrive even after this is over.”

HelloFund is also working with charities and nonprofits that are losing fundraising dollars because major events they depend on are canceled or postponed.

“This was created to help in these type of situations to relieve some of the financial distress,” said Sanger.

One of the nonprofits they set up virtual fundraising for is Make-A-Wish of Central and South Texas. Digital donations help them keep their mission of granting wishes strong.

“They provide thinking of you gifts for children’s wishes who have been postponed, and they provide the support to continue to grant wishes and travel wishes as quickly as possible,” says Shelby Gill of Make-A-Wish Central and South Texas. “We’re preparing to grant an unprecedented amount of travel wishes as soon as we’re safely able to do so.”

With many limitations the ability to raise funds online has taken on a new level of importance for many.

“Every single person is affected by this and we all need to come together as a community to ensure that we will bounce back from this and I believe we will,” says Sanger.

Here are some of the links for the virtual fundraising sites that have been set up: