Over night, foodservice and hospitality workers across the country experienced an additional ramification from COVID-19. Their work and ability to earn a living came to an abrupt halt. These are the people who -- often living paycheck to paycheck -- prepare your food, deliver your food, cater your meal and keep so many frequented establishments throughout our community going.

The unexpected inability for these individuals to provide for themselves and their families is why I am encouraging you to donate to the UniteHere! Relief Fund. UniteHere! is a union of folks working in restaurants, stadiums, venues, airports, hotels, and convention centers -- across the board, these are the hardest hit industries.

Will you pitch in to the Relief Fund to keep these workers afloat during this time of deep uncertainty? The donations will go directly to our neighbors here in Michigan and the Midwest.

This relief fund will support impacted hospitality workers by helping them maintain family health insurance coverage during layoffs, pay for food and rent, replace wages lost due to reduced hours and tips, and retrain for new jobs during the business downturn.

We may not have all the answers right now, but it begins with standing by all workers and families. Never before has the role and importance of organized labor and workforce safety been so at the global forefront. Organizations like UniteHere! who coordinate relief funds will be one of the reasons society can get back up on its feet once this pandemic has passed.

I’m committed to fighting for our essential workers until they get what they need and deserve. This is the best way we can help out.

The overwhelming majority of these workers are women and people of color. While the affected industries and corporations will rebound, this will be catastrophic for workers facing a totally unexpected loss of their livelihoods.

What’s more, Michigan is suffering the highest unemployment rate in the nation -- nearly 22% of Michiganders report being out of work.

We need to look out for our neighbors, now more than ever. Please, will you pitch in to the UniteHere! Relief Fund today?

Fighting for you,

Haley Stevens