Restaurant owner shut down and stricken w_COVID
Donation protected
Some people have a COVID-19 and 2020 story –but some like Khalid have endured every grueling chapter of it.
As the owner of Café Fifth near PPG Paints Arena, Khalid has been navigating the horror of shutdown after shutdown along with many other restaurant and small business owners. He tried to stay open for takeout only to keep his employees working. With so many sales based on the traffic from PPG Paints Arena; he struggled to stay afloat not only for himself but for the families of those that worked for him.
Khalid had a great attitude throughout it all and was determined to weather the storm, but the storm never stopped.
Khalid and his pregnant wife are also nurses. With the recent restaurant closures and the desire to keep his family financially provided for, the family moved to his father’s home in Mechanicsburg to work as traveling nurses. He did not want charity, he just wanted to work. This work to help others had the devastating result of Khalid, his wife, children, and father all contracting COVID-19. Khalid’s father passed away from the virus shortly before Christmas and Khalid is worsening after 4 weeks of infection – struggling for air.
Khalid does not want charity and when a GoFundMe page was brought up to him; he kindly said there were many others out there that needed help. That is the type of human he is. But this isn’t charity. This is the opportunity to give a hard-working, kind, generous and brave soul the breathing room to cover his expenses, bury his father, get well, and rebuild his life.
Donating to Khalid is giving back to all the heroes of 2020 – the small business owner, the frontline worker, those that lost and those that struggle to live. Giving to Khalid is giving hope and compassion and being a life-preserver in the never-ending storm.
As the owner of Café Fifth near PPG Paints Arena, Khalid has been navigating the horror of shutdown after shutdown along with many other restaurant and small business owners. He tried to stay open for takeout only to keep his employees working. With so many sales based on the traffic from PPG Paints Arena; he struggled to stay afloat not only for himself but for the families of those that worked for him.
Khalid had a great attitude throughout it all and was determined to weather the storm, but the storm never stopped.
Khalid and his pregnant wife are also nurses. With the recent restaurant closures and the desire to keep his family financially provided for, the family moved to his father’s home in Mechanicsburg to work as traveling nurses. He did not want charity, he just wanted to work. This work to help others had the devastating result of Khalid, his wife, children, and father all contracting COVID-19. Khalid’s father passed away from the virus shortly before Christmas and Khalid is worsening after 4 weeks of infection – struggling for air.
Khalid does not want charity and when a GoFundMe page was brought up to him; he kindly said there were many others out there that needed help. That is the type of human he is. But this isn’t charity. This is the opportunity to give a hard-working, kind, generous and brave soul the breathing room to cover his expenses, bury his father, get well, and rebuild his life.
Donating to Khalid is giving back to all the heroes of 2020 – the small business owner, the frontline worker, those that lost and those that struggle to live. Giving to Khalid is giving hope and compassion and being a life-preserver in the never-ending storm.
Organizer and beneficiary
Brian Marzka
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA
Khalid Qureshi
Beneficiary