The restaurants of Seattle’s International District need support, and Sarah Baker and friends stepped up to help them.
Sarah Baker has spent most of her life surrounded by community activism in the non-profit sector, so it was quite natural for her to open a Facebook group devoted to the restaurants in Seattle’s International District called Support the ID-Community United.
The group has close to 19,000 members. It is a way for small businesses to advertise places that are open for takeout and delivery. Many mom and pop stores rely on the Facebook page to keep their businesses alive.
“The Asian community was hit the hardest with the discrimination they face,” Baker said.
Baker was not surprised to see the support on her page and for all the businesses that advertised. To further assist small businesses in the area, she came up with the idea for a Go Fund Me that strives to connect restaurants to health care workers.
Meals for health care workers
The initiative buys meals in the International District, then delivers them to health care workers around the Seattle area.
It has delivered more than 600 meals to 8 different locations. Donors gave close to $16,ooo, far more than the initial goal of $5,000.
“We saw how passionate our members were so we built this avenue for people to donate what they can. It’s shocking, but not surprising to see how much we have received. It gives me a lot of hope for something that seems so bleak. To see something this positive is really nice,” says Baker.
Additional funds will be redirected to ACRS (Asian Counseling and Referral Services Food Bank) who will continue to work with families that need help.
Baker encourages everyone to join her FB Page, which now includes places outside of the International District, to order straight from the restaurants (delivery services take a percentage of profits) and to donate in any way possible.
Baker hopes that businesses will make it to the other side, and remain within the fabric of their communities.
