When the going gets tough, well, it seems people come to the party. So many businesses are working tirelessly and selflessly to alleviate the impact COVID-19 is having on our communities. These 5 companies in particular caught our eye.
Massimo’s
Voted the home of the “best pizza in Africa” by 50 Top Pizza, family-run restaurant Massimo’s has been giving back to the community for years. Owners Massimo and Tracy Orione started a “pay it forward” campaign 5 years ago, encouraging the Hout Bay community to give back. Customers can buy one or more slices of pizza at R10 each, and for every six slices sold, Massimo’s delivers an entire pizza to a local charity.
Though their doors may be closed during lockdown, Massimo and Tracy continue to give back to their community. They have kept the restaurant kitchen open and, in collaboration with Gracie Love In a Bowl and Community Cookup IY, they prepare daily meals for those in need.
Eat Out
South Africa’s guide to the best restaurants in the country, Eat Out, has put a plan in place to help eateries stay afloat during lockdown, and pay their staff. A call to action has been issued on the Eat Out website, encouraging visitors to allocate money they might have spent eating out under normal circumstances to a restaurant and their team. Servers often earn a basic wage and rely on tips to supplement their income.
Want to get involved? It’s super easy to do. Visit a restaurant venue listing on the Eat Out website to see if they have created profiles for their team members. If so, click to contribute directly to your favourite server or staff member. A voucher system, buy now, eat later, has also been put in place to help restaurants bounce back faster. Meal vouchers purchased now can be redeemed as soon as they are open again.
iLeadLABs
Regent Business School has mobilised its innovation hub, iLeadLAB, in Durban, Joburg, Pretoria and Cape Town to produce reusable protective face shields and splash protection masks using 3D printed parts. The masks and shields will be distributed to public healthcare facilities, who are testing and treating members of the public, at no cost.
As the demand for protective gear increases amid rising infections, the business school will roll out its plan in 3 phases. Phase 1 is currently being actioned, phase 2 involves the production of fabric face masks for public healthcare personnel and patients, and during phase 3, the 3D printed masks will be produced. These masks will have filters for which a prototype has already been completed.
“Our business school is grateful to be able to meaningfully contribute to the fight against COVID-19 by producing and donating life-saving essential gear. It’s also our way of showing our invaluable healthcare workers that they are not alone, and that we are all in this fight together,” says Dr Ahmed Shaikh, Managing Director of Regent Business School.
SPAR
Homeschooling is taking it’s toll on parents across the country, and the stress is exacerbated by limited access to useful resources. If supporting your child when it comes to mathematics is stressing you out, you’ll be excited to learn that SPAR is covering the fee for a 1-year subscription to Numberwise.
If you register during April, May or June this year, your subscription to this powerful numeracy programme is free, courtesy of SPAR. Numberwise offers a structured course of 150 lessons that help young learners master basic mathematics at their own pace in a fun and engaging way. All work covered is stored in the cloud, allowing parents and teachers to monitor a learner’s progress.
If you want to take advantage of this special offer, visit Numberwise and use the discount code SPAR185-365, valid until 30 June 2020.
Save Your Local
A very cool initiative called Save Your Local connects local businesses to customers in their community. Simply visit the site, pick your favourite spot and click to contact them for a voucher at discounted rates, which can be redeemed after lockdown.
The initiative was established by a consortium, including Team Africa Ventures, Silvertree, Bowmans, Husemeyer Advisors, Sian Evans and Associates, Fraser Consulting and Beer House. With the help of freelance consultants all working pro bono, the platform has been designed to provide financial relief to merchants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Businesses have fixed costs, from rent to insurance, stock and loan repayments. We hope Save Your Local will help small local businesses to continue to generate an income, despite the fact that they cannot currently open,” said a Save Your Local spokesperson.
It’s easy to join. Visit their website to browse for a business in your area, or nominate a business that you believe should be featured. Vouchers are being issued by several partners, including Zapper, Dineplan, Howler, Hyperli, Yoco and Snapscan, many of which are offering their service at no cost.
Nominate your heroes
Like these 5 businesses, there are many others that go out of their way to make life better for others during the lockdown. We’d like to know about them! Send us an email and let us know about the everyday heroes in your community who are doing great things during the COVID-19 pandemic.
