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Community supporting service industry workers during COVID-19 pandemic with 'virtual tip jars'

Although dine-in restaurants are closed, you can still support your favorite bartender or waitress from the comfort of your own living room.

NORFOLK, Va. — In cities across the country and right here in Hampton Roads, people are virtually tipping their favorite bartenders and servers.

People who work in the service industry and rely on tips, are finding themselves in a difficult position, because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Melissa Corrigan is the mastermind behind the Facebook page and website, "Virtual Tip Jars."

Here’s how it works: People who rely on tips can sign up and share their tip jar on social media with friends and regular customers, or by word of mouth. You can also log onto the website, find your favorite waiter and give him a tip using a service like Venmo or Paypal.

“Their entire income is based off cash tips," Corrigan said. "There are people that worked essentially full time in restaurants, in two or more restaurants, in order to make their income. And they just realized they are utterly broke.”

Corrigan said a lot of people rely on tips to pay their bills, buy groceries, and take care of their families.

“The Hampton Roads list has over 700 names on it which is incredible and we added 60 cities onto the website," she said. "I have in my inbox probably 60 more that I’m going to be adding today.”

It's not limited to just servers and bartenders.

There's also hair stylists, barbers, baristas, and nail technicians. With concert venues closed these days, musicians are also relying on virtual tips.

Anthony Rosano and his band "The Conqueroos" put all their shows on hold because of the coronavirus. So they’re hosting free digital concerts and making money through their virtual tip jar.

“We’ve been doing the online thing and the live streaming has been good because we’ve been able to get some tips coming in,” Rosano said.

“I had my bass player and my drummer over, we stayed 6 feet apart, I have it actually marked out on the studio floor: these are our boundaries. We practice social distancing. But, I was able to – because of the tips – pay them as if we actually did a show.”

Rosano said many musicians rely on live shows to make money and since they're unable to book any shows right now, the tips are a big help. 

“I have a wife, kids, I have a mortgage," he said. "I had to spend time with them on the phone trying to work something out.” 

Corrigan said the virtual tipping has been successful.

“I’ve had a couple friends get some pretty significant gifts on it," she said. "A friend of mine said he’s received over $300 and that’s enabled him to buy groceries and pay one of  his bills that otherwise wouldn’t have gotten paid.”

To create your own virtual tip jar or to help someone in need, check out https://www.virtualtipjars.org.

If you want to watch a live show by Rosano, visit his Facebook page.

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