Chapel Hill Review

The chamber of commerce and a local restaurant are partnering to ease the financial stress service industry workers are experiencing because of COVID-19.  

The Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce and The Wooden Nickel Public House are holding separate efforts to fill the “world’s biggest tip jar” and get money into the pockets of workers, according to Chapelboro.com's March 28 report.

The service industry has been decimated after businesses were forced to close to disrupt the spread of COVID-19.

The Wooden Nickel is enabling people to tip servers and service providers at various Hillsborough businesses through Venmo. The Hillsborough Strong/Workers Venmo List can be accessed here.

“The best thing about Hillsborough, far and away, is our awesome and supportive community,” Dean James of The Wooden Nickel told Chapelboro.com. “Right now, a large segment of that community has lost their primary means of supporting themselves and their families. Let’s rally together, in the spirit of our town, to help them.”

The Chamber of Commerce created the Hillsborough Hospitality Help GoFundMe so businesses and individuals can donate money to a general fund, according to Chapelboro.com. That money will go to out-of-work service employees who have been referred to the chamber by their Hillsborough-based employer or who registered with Hillsborough Strong. 

Displaced service employees of Hillsborough businesses are encouraged to register for tips.

Andrew Canada of Global Rx said he will match up to $5,000 in donations from other businesses, according to Chapelborough.com. Donations to the GoFundMe can be made here.

Contributions can also be made with a check payable to Hillsborough/Orange Co. Chamber of Commerce, with #3H on the memo line. Checks should be mailed to 200 N. Churton St., Hillsborough, NC 27278, according to Chapelboro.com.

Orange County is under a stay-at-home order that’s due to expire April 30.