Cheer Up Charlies Emergency Staff Fund

Cheer Up Charlies is a small independent business that has been open in Austin, Texas for 11 years— 10 years as a bar and venue, and 1 beginning year as a food truck. Our staff was recently hit hard by the sudden mandatory closing of bars in Austin until May 1st, due to the Covid-19 Crisis. 

Most of our staff are considered tipped employees, and make nearly all of their wages via tips. Many of them are struggling to make ends meet, pay rent, buy groceries for themselves as they are now suddenly out of a job. 

We have applied for mass layoff benefits through the workforce commission, but those do not cover all employees and also, the checks will not start being mailed out for at least 4 weeks, maybe up to 6 weeks. 

Anything you can donate will go directly to keeping our employees afloat during this time. Many of them have been with us over 5-8 years and are unwaveringly loyal and a huge part of our family. For a bunch of them, this is their only job. Whatever we can do to help them through this time, we’d like to try. 

We cannot open for to-go business or deliveries, and our bar’s doors will be shuttered until May 1st, if not longer. We hope to reopen strong and ready to serve the community when it is safe to do so again.