it's my customers that I owe this to. They bring out the best in me. It's them, I couldn't do it without your help. It gives you hope that you know, we're turning the corner and that they were kind of on the back nine of this and hopefully we can get back to normal soon. This is what my people need right now. I have single moms that work here. I have high school kids that work here. You know, people with families and mortgages and car payments. So it was very welcome. We now know what it really does mean to the community and how much it is helping these places to survive and thrive during this time here at stitch, we celebrate the ways everyday people are making this country a kinder place to live. One incredible story at a time. One of the industries hardest hit by the pandemic was the service industry across the country. Good Samaritans have been stepping up and supporting their local restaurants in any way they can. Here are a few stories of patrons that are making a difference in their communities. One tip at a time in our first story, a beloved Taco Bell employee received the tip of a lifetime jodi cco, affectionately known as Taco Bell joe was given a tip he'll never forget. It's my customers that I owe this to. They bring out the best in me. It's them. I couldn't do it without your help. He's made such an impact that the community gifted Joe a check for over $6,000 Tricia Philly B started a Facebook group for local foodies to share news about their favorite restaurants during the pandemic. Then they decided to take it a step further. Members of the group voted on their favorite employee to help me. What won by a landslide. I'm gonna do my best to live up to it. It's a light a little candle in every heart Of every person that I meet, Joe has been an employee for over 20 years but never knew how many lives he impacted. You could have the worst day. By the time you get through the drive through there, you're just smiling. He just brings a smile to everybody's face. Um just interacting him with him in the drive thru just brings so much joy to just be part of this and to see this man so touched. Um it is life changing for me. So very, very grateful. They give me strength, they give you wisdom. They gave me vitality in our next story. We'll hear about a mystery regular who left thousands in tips at several bars in his community. One of the most mind blowing things that's happened to me in 10 years of doing this when Connor opened an envelope that a customer left him, he had to double check that it wasn't a mistake trying to figure out for a second whether that was what was intended. And then obviously, you know, you realize, you know, he left $2021 for 2021. It was pretty clear symbolism. I basically got months worth of rent in a tip. The mysterious good samaritan later came forward to reveal he had tipped five other bars that night. My mission that night was to support the local bars. Ernie also donated $1 million to the bar stool, sports restaurant fund that was set up to help small local businesses. I usually cook, I don't get take out that often, but when I do, I can just see the problems that are there and I encourage anybody that can do it. Please support the industry. It gives you hope that, you know, we're turning the corner and that we're kind of on the back nine of this and hopefully we can get back to normal soon Next. A restaurant rescue challenges taking over this community and helping struggling small businesses ultimately burning. There's $2500. This is the Venmo Challenge. It's a challenge where Stan Anderson collects donations through mobile payment apps to help local restaurants, they Venmo me or cash app or Paypal or chase basil, whatever and they give us money and they trust us to go than to restaurants like here and decide to give the money to the restaurant tours stan stopped by Bernie's pizza to give them a special surprise. Bernie and I both didn't sense anything, we didn't know anything that was, you know, what was gonna happen stan has already raised over $18,000 for struggling businesses through the Venmo challenge and now can add Bernie's pizza to the list. I was this something you kind of just took upon yourself to start? Well I don't know other than I can and what I mean by that is that anybody can, his work in the community hasn't gone unnoticed by the people he's helped. Great, good man, help me allow it helps take care of a few maybe extra bills that are laying around that are like 500,000 here whatever onto a story where another group on facebook decided to step up and help out local restaurants. When the Omaha Food lovers facebook group was founded, it was with the attention of simply sharing favorite places to eat locally during the pandemic though they realized they would be able to help restaurants that were struggling. We now know what it really does mean to the community and how much it is helping these places to survive and thrive. During this time, members of the group have supported multiple businesses in the area. I know it sounds dramatic. They're really, they say master stand and we're still here um serving people because they just kept telling others about us for new businesses like Kuantan john's food truck, support from the group has helped them stay afloat. That rug got pulled out from under us real quick. So we had had to pivot. So Omaha food lovers essentially was our assistance. It was support from members of this group that helped porky butts barbecue to get out there and support restaurants. Me right now, times have been tough and you know, there's a lot of restaurants in oh FL and places like myself that get a lot of publicity, but don't forget about the mom and pop shops and the smaller places support them all. Next, when an entire restaurant staff fell on hard times, a facebook group stepped in. Best friends diner has been hit hard during the pandemic. The first thing you try to cut back on of course is labor hours. Um So we shut down monday and Tuesday. We are now down to one server per shift. The tipping north country facebook group set out to help the staff when they learned about how badly the restaurant was struggling. It's a way of giving back to strangers. We raise money throughout the week and donate to a random service worker. You know, whether it be A server, a cook, it could be a mailman, it could be anybody and anybody in the service industry or local barber and whatnot. The group raised over $1,500 to tip the entire staff. With each staff member getting $130. apiece might seem small to some and large to others. You know, $130 is definitely, you know, I mean it's more than what anybody had in their pockets at the time, right? So um it was great to be able to get back. This is what my people need right now. I have single moms that work here, I have high school kids that work here, you know, people with families and mortgages and car payments. So it was very welcome. A restaurant owner received a birthday gift from barstool sports that helped save his business. Hello, is this Anthony? Oh my God. Oh my God! David, are you telling me what I need to hear? Yeah, yeah, we want to help you guys out. I'm going to cry right now, Anthony's Italian kitchen has been hit hard by the pandemic. It's lost over $300,000 and was months behind on rent. And I think tim solely deserves a big shout out here because he has really kept this place alive. And uh, he's a wonderful landlord. Tony submitted a video to barstool sports for its small business funds. I'm now in trouble, barstools, ceo Dave Portnoy saw the video and reached out to Tony to share the good news. I'm in a slump place right now. I don't quite know how to react and I've never caught at a loss for words, Tony will receive $25,000 every month that he needs it from the bar stool Sports fund. What a feeling that phone call is. Feel. It's just absolutely magic. It's magic. Somebody's telling you, they're going to give you money for a year and here's what he said. Jim, I'm gonna help you for one year. I mean, that's phenomenal. We hope you enjoyed these stories of good Samaritans across the country, doing their part to help restaurants and restaurant tours, if possible, get out there and support your favorite local businesses. Yeah, yeah.

Good Samaritans helping restaurants during the pandemic

Patrons stepping up to help small businesses

Updated: 5:50 PM EDT Jun 1, 2021

One of the industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 Pandemic was the service industry. Across the country, Good Samaritans have been stepping up and supporting their local restaurants in any way they can.Here are a few stories of patrons that are making a difference in their communities, one tip at a time! Stitch brings you heartwarming stories from a community just like yours. It celebrates our hometown heroes and is inspired by communities, revitalized. Stitch is committed to honoring our history, celebrating our potential and highlighting the tales that bring us together. Every day, we are stitching together the American story.Want more stories like these? Follow Stitch on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

One of the industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 Pandemic was the service industry. Across the country, Good Samaritans have been stepping up and supporting their local restaurants in any way they can.

Here are a few stories of patrons that are making a difference in their communities, one tip at a time!

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Stitch brings you heartwarming stories from a community just like yours. It celebrates our hometown heroes and is inspired by communities, revitalized. Stitch is committed to honoring our history, celebrating our potential and highlighting the tales that bring us together. Every day, we are stitching together the American story.

Want more stories like these? Follow Stitch on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.