Wonderful Venturans. How You Can Help (Part One)

by Visit Ventura

How can you help? This may be the most important blog we post — and why it is definitely Part One of many. Already so many of our townsfolk have plunged in to lend a hand in these difficult times. Which isn’t at all surprising, is it? It’s not easy, but 805>19. And anything else that comes our way. A few simple ways to support local businesses (maybe stick this one on your fridge)… And, no surprise, our local businesses are already helping each other. Buy a gift card Order takeout from your favorite local restaurant Shop local online Schedule a service for later Share ideas with your friends (and us) about how to help Ventura businesses (and any business you love)

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A post shared by Traveler Cafe (@travelercafeventura) on Mar 21, 2020 at 5:03pm PDT

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Supplies are needed in many places … There’s a desperate need for masks to protect our local healthcare heroes. Ventura County is experiencing a shortage of N95 face masks. If you have any masks leftover from the Thomas Fire, or laying around unused, please consider donating them to our hospitals. The Ventura County Medical Center is also in need of baby monitors with video for overflow patient rooms. These would be used for adult monitoring, not for babies. If your baby monitor requires batteries, please include a stash of appropriate batteries if you have them in your home for the staff member servicing the patient room. Package this donation in a ziplock or plastic bag tied after you have disinfected the machine and cords well. Include a note with your name, email, cell and home address so they can thank you. Please deliver this donation as soon as possible to 765 Saratoga Avenue in the City of Ventura. Please email Amy Towner with any questions about these donations. And there are plenty of other supplies our healthcare heroes need — and other ways you can help. Calling all seamstresses… Venturans are already sewing face masks to help boost short supplies at our hospitals. If you sew and would like to help, please contact Amy Towner. Local restaurants, businesses, and residents — please help feed our health care professionals as they work around the clock for us… There’s a real need for boxed lunches for healthcare workers, and the Health Care Foundation for Ventura County is asking restaurants and businesses if they can donate — or sponsor — the following over the next 6-8 weeks, starting Monday, March 30th. Kind local restaurants — Two hundred boxed lunches are needed daily for healthcare workers (lunches need to be directly delivered from the restaurant and individually boxed or wrapped to prevent Coronavirus spread). Kind local businesses and residents — An average boxed lunch costs $10. By sponsoring lunches for a day at $2000 (or a portion of the cost), it helps support our giving restaurants and our healthcare workers. Please reply directly to Ventura Chamber member Heather Baker with the following: Your name and phone number. Whether you can provide lunches from your restaurant or sponsor a lunch. Or — hugely important — if you are simply willing to reach out to businesses and restaurants for supplies and food donations.

And, in all this, we Venturans realize a simple, powerful thing.

Caring equals unstoppable.