Coronavirus 2020: How Can You Help Our Community?
Hi Redbuddies! Reaching out to you from the depths of social distancing, which I’m using to a. pull up some invasive English ivy from my front lawn and plant a wildflower bed, b. read a bunch, c. pet my dog for hours on end, d. bake bread and harvest greens from my garden like a Pioneer Lady, e. figure out the vicissitudes of online meeting software, and f. sleep way too much. I hope you all are finding quiet moments for yourselves in the midst of all this madness and using your time at home for yourself to the extent that you can!
I know this is a tough time economically and emotionally for most, if not all of you, but we wanted to provide you with a round-up of organizations and funds in the area that have launched to help the artists and literati who are suffering from lost wages and opportunities during this period. If you can, please consider taking the money you’d spend on drinks and dining and fun and kicking a few dollars towards these fundraising efforts.
Here are the donation opportunities we’ve seen so far (please feel free to contact us about ones we’ve missed!):
Orange County Artist Relief Fund
Also, don’t forget to shop at all our favorite bookstores:
Quail Ridge Books is offering free media mail shipping
Flyleaf Books is offering $1 shipping or curbside pickup
Golden Fig is offering $1 media mail shipping
So&So Books is accepting orders at soandsobooks@gmail.com
Epilogue is offering curbside pickup or $3 shipping
Also also, on a personal note, one of my closest, oldest friends (we were in a girl band together in high school, if that gives you a sense of the age of our friendship) is the coworker of a bookstore/cafe in Portland, Maine, and is fundraising to be able to support her employees while the store is closed. Please consider donating to her, too!
Stay safe and healthy, everyone!
—Emily