Even while restaurants and retailers got caught in the crossfire of damaging riots and looting amid protests against police brutality in recent days, owners of those same businesses are offering support to Atlantans marching peacefully in the fight for racial justice.
Whether it’s a small gesture like Clues and Cocktails Owner Joy Joy Huffman and her team passing out water to Sweet Auburn marchers, or something heartier like Third Street Goods Market prepping to feed protesters over the weekend, the City continues to live up to its “too busy too hate” mantra.
“Free lunches are ready for you at the shop,” Third Street wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
“Vegan and non-vegan options. Take what you can carry and share with the city. Be fed and safe!”
Organizers are asked to DM the market for more info.
“We are listening, and ready to help. Black Lives Matter.”
Old 4th Distillery, which started making hand sanitizer at the onset of the novel coronavirus outbreak, is sending sanitizer to marchers; a reminder that the pandemic is still in full swing, even as Atlantans gather en masse and in close quarters.
“We’re sending hundreds of bottles of hand sanitizer to the protesters in Atlanta as our small way of supporting those folks on the front lines working for change,” Old 4th Distillery posted to Instagram Wednesday.
Partnering with Umi Feeds, Nourish in Black is “orchestrating a popup initiative to feed protestors on the ground and organizers.”
“We will soon need volunteers to take shifts picking up food and distributing it as needed,” the organization posted to Instagram Wednesday. “We will need restaurants willing to donate.”
More info and how to support Nourish can be found here.
What Now Atlanta will continue to update this article as we learn of other Atlanta restaurants supporting protesters. If you know of someone offering support, send us an email here.
Not able to protest or want to show your support in other ways? Here’s a roundup of local and national nonprofits, groups, and funds in alphabetical order:
“We provide support for people who are arrested at protests, or otherwise prosecuted for their movement involvement.”
Seeks to end police violence in America.
Community Movement Builders (CMB) is a member-based collective of black people dedicated to being a force for creating sustainable self-determining communities through cooperative economic advancement and collective community organizing.
Official fund for George Floyd
“We work with renters and homeowners to self-organize and defend their right to remain. We fight to preserve affordable housing, for just living conditions, to prevent gentrification, and to build community power for an Atlanta-wide housing justice movement.”
GoFundMe for the Ahmaud Arbery family.
“Join our fight for Justice for Ahmaud, and all Georgia residents in need of a better tomorrow.”
Fighting for a “world free from mass incarceration, the death penalty, the criminalization of poverty, and racial injustice.”
