Campaign Helps Restaurants and Those In Need Due to COVID-19 and the Fire Emergencies
Monterey, CA, September 29, 2020 — Kindness Monterey, a campaign initiated to help individuals in need and restaurants that have been challenged as the result of the coronavirus and fire emergencies, will present its second online Care-A-Thon live concerts on Sunday, October 25 from 6-7pm on Kindness Monterey Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG661XSU4En6yb0ULDJ57_g
The first online Care-A-Thon concert produced by musician and promoter Kiki Wow successfully raised $5,000 and funds were immediately used to purchase gift cards for fire evacuees. Due to an overwhelming need a second fundraiser will be held from 6-7 p.m. Sunday, October 25, 2020. The concert will feature local musicians, short video interviews with local restaurant owners, and a call-out to donate to the gofundme campaign. The link to the concert will be available on the website after its initial streaming.
Musicians confirmed include: Linda Arceo, Dave “Nomad” Miller, Reija Massey, Brad Wilson Trio, Kiki & The Wowettes, Dan & Laurel and the Latin Jazz Collective.
The concert will be streamed on the Kindness Monterey Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG661XSU4En6yb0ULDJ57_g
Kindness Monterey, which was launched on July 8, 2020, has expanded its campaign to include a gofundme page, new partners working to get sponsors and donations, and assistance to restaurants wanting to set up gift cards on their websites.
Kindness Monterey is encouraging local restaurants to join their campaign. KM is making a concerted effort to reach out to all restaurants by in-person visits, email, mail, phone to have them sign on so that they can be listed on the website. Many restaurants that provide gift cards do not have the ability to order them online as a digital gift card, which makes it difficult for the person wanting to send a friend or co-worker a gift card, which is the message of the campaign — to buy a gift card and send it to someone who needs a lift. Sign up at: http://www.kindnessmonterey.com/sign-up and read about the benefits of being on the kindnessmonterey website and offering digital cards.
We are excited to announce a partnership with SeeFood. Roberto Guerrero, founder, has created a mobile website that helps the customer see pictures of food on a menu, instead of just reading about it, showcasing both menus and unique dishes. See food before ordering! Like Kindness Monterey, SeeFood's goal is helping restaurants get more business to survive and one day thrive again during these uncertain times.
Roberto has spent the last few months visiting many of the restaurants, interviewing and filming owners to produce 1 to 2-minute videos highlighting their restaurants and allowing them to post to social media or websites.
SeeFood has partnered with nearly all restaurants in downtown Salinas, some in downtown Monterey and a few on the Wharf, and is now assisting Kindness Monterey in signing up those restaurants on the Peninsula that do not have digital gift card capacity. Roberto has agreed to list participants on his app as well as produce a 2 minute video at no cost to the restaurant owner. Click here to see an example of a video produced for Michael's Grill and Taqueria in downtown Salinas!
If you are interested in signing up or even if you already have in-house gift card capability, it is important that you are able to offer cards online. We want to support you and our community! For more information please call/contact Roberto Guerrero 831-682-4586, or Annee Martin 831-236-5618.
Now that the students are back in school Kindness Monterey hopes to start soon
with a CSUMB initiative called GetVirtual.org. GetVirtual gives local businesses affected by COVID-19 the tools to adapt to the virtual landscape and extend their businesses online. Their program pairs local businesses such as restaurants, who need help with online tools like gift cards, with college students who are tech-savvy and want business experience. It's a win-win. Restaurants get help for free and the students get college credit. Kindness Monterey hopes to work with GetVirtual Students to help restaurants develop on line ordering, updating websites and offering digital gift cards
Collaboration with All-In-
Monterey
Kindness Monterey collaborated with All-in-Monterey a wonderful grass roots organization who hosts a drive every Wednesday at Seaside High School for hospitality workers who've lost jobs or had hours significantly reduced as well as fire evacuees. Kindness Monterey distributed over 150 gift cards in the past month. Kindness Monterey plans to work with All- in- Monterey this fall to do a Holiday drive to raise funds to offer families in need a delicious, bountiful holiday dinner from local restaurants. More information to follow.
Kindness Monterey has teamed up with The American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF), Monterey Bay Chapter (https://www.aiwfmb.org/ ), which has agreed to be the campaign’s 501(c)3 non-profit fiscal sponsor. Kindness Monterey can now accept donations of $250 or more from corporate sponsors or individuals through their fiscal sponsor — AIWF-Monterey Bay Chapter, and those donating at that level or higher will then be able to get a tax write off. Chef/caterer and cookbook author Mary Chamberlin, Emeritus Chapter Chair/National Vice Chair of AIWF – Monterey Bay Chapter, was instrumental in making this happen.
Kindness Monterey has also set up a GoFundMe page at: https://www.Gofundme.com/manage/kindness-monterey . You can also access the page with the “Donate” button on the Kindness Monterey website (kindnessmonterey.com http://kindnessmonterey.com/ ) or Facebook page (facebook.com/kindnessmonterey http://facebook.com/kindnessmonterey ).
The GoFundMe page was set up primarily for individuals to give smaller donations to help fund the campaign as well as for Kindness Monterey to buy gift cards for the hospitality workers affected by loss of job or hours. It will enable the Kindness Monterey team to spread the word about this important program that benefits so many local community members through print advertising and social media. The advertising will urge everyone in the community to go to the KindnessMonterey.com website https://www.kindnessmonterey.com/ and purchase restaurant gift cards. Please note that any donation under $250 is not tax-deductible.
For individuals or businesses who do not have a specific person in mind and would still like to make a donation to the Kindness Monterey program, these GoFundMe funds will be used to purchase gift cards for the Food Bank For Monterey County, The Hospitality workers and other worthy local community members in need.
Kindness Monterey has also teamed up with marketing and PR professional, Wendy Brickman (https://www.brickmanmarketing.com ), who will reach out to local businesses and individuals to secure sponsorships to help fund the campaign. The campaign needs the support to be able to continue and every donation makes it possible to bring the community together to support our restaurants.
Sponsorships will allow Kindness Monterey to accomplish five important goals:
1. Fund its campaign enabling Kindness Monterey to do widespread marketing through social media, print advertising, Constant Contact and various Chamber of Commerce email blasts.
2. Allow Kindness Monterey to buy restaurant gift cards and distribute them to organizations such as the Food Bank For Monterey County, Chambers of Commerce, small business owners whose companies are being challenged by COVID-19, fire victims, firefighters, first responders, musicians, displaced hospitality workers, including those working in the restaurants, field workers, etc.
3. Provide matching funds to offer 2-for-1 deals to generate additional sales for gift card promotions.
4. Allow Kindness Monterey to donate six grab-and-go weekend meals to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County for every $1,000 raised through sponsorships and GoFundMe.
5. Fund the two online Care-A-Thon
concerts as well as other fundraising events.
The Kindness Monterey campaign was created by local businesswomen Annee Martin and Maren Elwood, and the website, http://www.kindnessmonterey.com was launched on July 8, 2020.
The pay-it-forward gift card campaign to help Monterey Peninsula restaurants encourages generosity from the community by purchasing these gift cards to give to family, friends, neighbors, musicians, service providers, small business owners, field workers, frontline medical personnel and first responders. Martin believes that not only are you helping restaurants stay alive and letting them know they are loved and supported by their community, but by paying it forward, you are lifting the spirits and hopes of our entire community.
Kindness Monterey will continue to provide as long as there is a need in our community. For more information, go to: info@kindnessmonterey.com , like Kindness Monterey on its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/kindnessmonterey , or call Annee Martin at 831-236-5618 or Kiki Wow at 831-235-7662. Or, go to the website at: kindnessmonterey.com .
Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.kindnessmonterey.com/
