THEIR NAME FOR SOMETHING THAT’S
NOT ON THE MENU.
>> IT’S NO SECRET THAT PEOPLE
ARE JUST HAVING A HARD TIME
KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON RIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: WITH HARD
RESTAURANT RESTRICTIONS IN
PLACE, JOHN MI IDIDN’T WANT TO S
ONE MORE BALTIMORE BUSINESS PULL
THE PLUG.
HE TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN
HANDS.
IN JANUARY, THE CO-OWNER OF
JIMMY’S FAMOUS SEAFOOD CREATED A
GOFUNDME FOR THE CITY’S
COMMUNITY OF RESTAURANTS AND
BARS.
>> THIS IS ABOUT LOCAL
BUSINESSES.
>> YEAH.
>> HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES.
IN ANY OTHER TIME, YOU GUYS
WOULD BE COMPETITORS.
>> WE HAD A MORAL OBLIGATION AT
THE END OF THE DAY.
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: HIS GOAL, RAISE
$100,000.
TO HIS SURPRISE, WITHIN DAYS,
THE FUND RAISED MORE THAN
DOUBLE.
THE GOFUNDME WAS CALLED THE
FAMOUS FUND.
>> THE FAMOUS FUND IS PEOPLE
HELPING PEOPLE.
IT’S NEIGHBOR HELPING NEIGHBOR.
IT’S EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER
AND DOING THE RIGHT THING.
>> Reporter: LOCAL CELEBS JUMPED
IN, TOO.
BALTIMORE RAVENS CORNERBACK
MARLIN HUMPHREY WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST TO DONATE.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JUMP IN
AND HELP?
>> I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, I
COULDN’T IMAGINE PLAYING
FOOTBALL FOR 16 YEARS OF MY
LIFE, THEN ONE DAY THEY SAID,
YOU CAN’T DO IT AT ALL.
THEY TAKE IT AWAY.
IT’S PEOPLE’S RETIREMENT FUNDS.
THEIR RESTAURANT IS WHAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE, IT’S WHAT THEY HAVE.
>> Reporter: HOW DOES IT WORK?
LOCAL EATERIES APPLY ONLINE.
AFTER REVIEW, THE FUND COMMITTEE
SURPRISES RESTAURANT OWNERS WITH
SOME WELCOMED NEWS.
>> WE’RE GOING TO PROVIDE YOUR
BUSINESS WITH $15,000.
>> OH, MY GOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> WE WANT TO GIFT YOU GUYS
$10,000.
>> I AM SO, SO, SO GRATEFUL.
>> Reporter: ONE OF THOSE
RESTAURANTS IS PICKLES PUB,
LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE ICONIC
BALLPARK, CAMDEN YARDS.
THE SPORTS BAR HAS BEEN HIT
REALLY HARD BY THE PANDEMIC.
THE FUND HAS HELPED GIVE HOPE TO
THEIR TEAM.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, CO-OWNER TOM
LEONARD AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER
GAVE UP THEIR OWN SALARIES TO
HELP THEIR STAFF GET BY.
>> IT’S BEEN MORE THAN JUST THE
MONEY.
THE FAMOUS FUND HAS RAISED AID E
AWARENESS.
>> Reporter: WHEN THE CHECK
ARRIVED, TOM REINFORCED IT’S THE
PEOPLE WHO MATTER MOST.
>> WE’RE GOING TO GIVE THE MONEY
TO OUR STAFF.
A CHECK TO EACH OF YOU FOR 1,000
BUCKS.
>> WHAT?
>> Reporter: FOR MANY RESTAURANT
OWNERS, A HELPING HAND IS WHAT’S
NEEDED TO STAY AFLOAT, EVEN IF
THAT MEANS PIVOTING.
CHEF JASMINE NORTON IS THE OWNER
OF THE URBAN OYSTER, THE FIRST
FEMALE, BLACK-OWNED LOBSTER BAR
IN THE COUNTRY.
HER RESTAURANT WAS FORCED TO
PERMANENTLY SHUT DOWN LAST
SUMMER.
HOW DID IT FEEL TO CLOSE THE
DOORS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC?
>> IT WAS TOUGH.
I LOOK IT HARD, TO BETOOK IT HAR
I WORKED REALLY HARD.
>> Reporter: IN NEED OF A
KITCHEN TO REINVENT HER
BUSINESS, HOTEL REVIVAL OFFERED
THEIR SPACE, FREE OF CHARGE, BUT
MONEY WAS STILL TIGHT.
SO THIS IS THE KITCHEN YOU’RE
USING, BUT IT IS NOT REALLY YOUR
KITCHEN.
>> RIGHT.
IT IS A BORROWED KITCHEN.
>> Reporter: WHY IS IT SO
IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESSES LIKE
YOURS TO SURVIVE?
>> SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY
RESTAURANTS, ARE THE POSTS OF
BALTIMORE.
IT IS WHY THE FAMOUS FUND IS A
BIG DEAL.
WHEN WE RECEIVED OUR FUNDING, I
POURED IT RIGHT BACK INTO THAT
FUND.
I WANT TO SEE ANOTHER RESTAURANT
COME UP AND SURVIVE.
>> Reporter: THAT’S THE SPIRIT
OF BALTIMORE, HUH?
>> THE SPIRIT OF BALTIMORE.
>> Reporter: MORE THAN 30
RESTAURANTS AND BARS IN THE
DOWNTOWN AREA HAVE RECEIVED AID
SO FAR.
THE FUNDRAISING CONTINUES TO BE
STRONG.
NOW SURPASSING $450,000.
>> I THINK THAT ANYBODY CAN DO
THIS ANYWHERE IN AMERICA.
YOU HAVE TO BE THERE FOR THAT
CORNER BAR.
YOU HAVE TO BE THERE FOR YOUR
FAVORITE RESTAURANT.
IF YOU DON’T, UNFORTUNATELY,
THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE.
>> WOW.
SPEAKING OF HELP, MORGAN, YOU
HAVE HOPEFULLY GOOD NEWS ABOUT
THE FAMOUS FUND TO TELL US
ABOUT, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> Reporter: WE SURE DO, CARSON.
I HAVE TO SAY, BALTIMORE SURE
KNOWS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF ITS
OWN.
AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE GREAT
WORK THE FAMOUS FUND IS DOING,
THE CONVENIENT STORE CHAIN ROYAL
FARMS HAS DECIDED TO DONATE
$25,000 WORTH OF PPE EQUIPMENT.
WE’RE TALKING HAND SANITIZER,
MASKS, GLOVES, TO ALL OF THESE
RESTAURANTS WHO ARE IN NEED.
THAT IS IN ADDITION TO THE
FAMOUS FUND’S MONETARY GIFT.
SO CERTAINLY BRIGHTER DAYS
AHEAD, CARSON.
>> GREAT STUFF THERE.
>> THAT’S A GOOD ONE.
>> THANKS, MORGAN.
>> THAT’S A GOOD FOOD TOWN.