SPOKANE, Wash. — During the holiday season, several businesses are wondering whether they'll be around this time next year.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious financial problems. While they desperately wait for better days, there's a Facebook group that's stepping up to provide support.
“We’re just going to wait and let everyone get online before we get started,” said Rick Clark as he gears up for his daily Facebook live session.
Every night at 5 p.m., Clark is locked in front of a computer to go live and support local businesses.
“We raise as much money as we can and then we dump that on a struggling restaurant and we pay full price menu items for anywhere from 100-600 meals really," Clark said.
What started as an idea to feed the homeless has now evolved into the Spokane Quaranteam. Their first video was meant to raise $200 in donations to buy from Pizza Rita and have pies sent to a shelter.
Now, the Facebook page recently surpassed 15,000 followers.
Since March, they’ve raised almost $100,000 and have bought food from more than 90 restaurants in the region.
“These are owners that have helped the community all year long and they’ve never needed help,” explained Clark. “So now they’re in a position where we can actually help them and I share tears every single day with a new restaurant owner because I’m asking them how are you doing.”
Their goal is to help people dealing with food insecurity. Once a meal is bought from the restaurant of the day, they’re distributed for free.
While helping anyone who’s hungry and needs a meal, it also brings new customers.
Many of the page's followers make donations to the featured restaurants or return to purchase a full-priced meal.
“This is Spokane, period. Like, it’s an amazing thing that we are doing, but this is what Spokane is capable of doing all the time,” Clark said.
The Facebook page is now raking in a daily average of $2,500 in donations.
Neighboring cities have even reached out to them about starting their own Quaranteams.