Helping MO Hospitality Service Industry Employees

As everyone adapts to the reality of the COVID-19 outbreak, many Missourians in the hospitality and service industry are directly impacted as taprooms, bars and restaurants are closed in an effort to help flatten the curve. The craft beer community has always been the first to step up and give a helping hand to the communities in which they operate. Now, those brewers, taprooms and brewpubs and their employees need help from their communities to make it through these uncertain times.

​To that end, we have compiled a list of some of the relief funds and fundraising activities that are taking place across the state to benefit those workers who have been furloughed or laid off due to the pandemic. This is not an exhaustive list and will likely change frequently, so please check back and do what you can to help support our craft brewing communities across the Show-Me State. 

Central Missouri - Columbia Area

• Love Local CoMo - T-shirt sales profit-sharing for Columbia small businesses.

Eastern Missouri - St. Louis Area

• 4Hands FOR HANDS - Fundraiser set up by 4 Hands Brewing to support St. Louis area hospitality industry.
• Gateway Resilience Fund - Short term monetary relief to employees and owners in the St. Louis area.
• Here for Good STL - T-shirt sales profit sharing program for St. Louis small businesses.

Southern Missouri - Springfield Area

• Springfield Craft Beer Collective - "Local Strong" t-shirt sales benefiting Springfield-area hospitality workers.

Western Missouri - Kansas City Area

• KC Beer Scouts - Support LoKCal Beer - T-shirt sales benefiting KC-area hospitality workers.
• KC Hospitality Support Initiative - T-shirt sales go toward purchase of grocery gift cards for out-of-work hospitality employees.
• ServiceIndustry.Tips Kansas City area - Venmo a tip to a randomly selected KC service person when you enjoy a beverage at home.

Additional National Relief Funds for Hospitality Workers

• All Together Beer - A worldwide collaboration brewed to support hospitality professionals
• Drink Local Think Global This One's For You Craft Brewery Employee Assistance Relief
• James Beard Foundation Food & Beverage Industry Relief Fund
• National Restaurant Association Educcational Foundation - Restaurant Employee Relief Fund
• One Fair Wage Emergency Coronavirus Tipped & Services Worker Support Fund​
• Southern Smoke Foundation Emergency Relief Fund
• United States Bartenders' Guild National Charity Foundation

Many individual breweries also have fundraisers going on for their own employees. Check out of our list of Guild member breweries offering delivery/to-go options to see if you can contribute to their virtual tip jars or participate in their brewery-specific fundraising efforts.

If you know of other fundraising efforts for groups of area hospitality workers, please email information to [email protected]. And thank you for supporting Missouri craft beer. We're all in this together.