FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2020
PRESS CONTACT:
qnf-press@lgbtq-economics.org
As of 12:00 AM, Pacific Standard Time this morning (March 24, 2020), the San Francisco Queer Nightlife Fund has engaged over $72,000 in support for nightlife workers whose livelihood has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
This figure includes over $69,000 in grassroots contributions through the SF QNF website (www.sfqueernightlifefund.org) from 692 individual donors, and $3,000 in pledged support from philanthropic or corporate donors. Each individual grassroots gift has been, on average, $100.81 per donation.
The SF QNF has raised 34.8% of our current $200K fundraising goal to fund 200 grant-worthy applicants from the nightlife industry who depend on nightlife venues and events for their income. However, only 8 days remain to raise $130,237 to accomplish the SF QNF’s goal. We need community support to help those workers who have been laid-off from San Francisco’s historic and culturally significant LGBTQ nightlife industry.
In addition to contributions of support, the SF QNF has received as of 12:00 AM PST today (March 24, 2020) 197 grant applications through our online grant application (https://sfqueernightlifefund.org/sf-qnf-application/). Grant applicants have requested minimally $217,853 in relief in total. This is an average of $1,105 in relief requested by each applicant.
Among the current applicants:
- 97.5% rent their home
- 8.6% are a recipient of food assistance
- 38.6% do not have health insurance
- 17.3% have 1 or more dependents
- 68.5% rely upon their stated nightlife income as a sole source of income
Based on the anticipated need, the San Francisco Bay Area Queer Nightlife Fund organizers have set a fundraising goal of at least $200,000 to adequately meet the needs of the 200 QNF grant recipients we currently expect in our application cohort (due: March 31, 2020).
Please contact the SF QNF organizers with any questions regarding this press release (qnf-press@lgbtq-economics.org).