Reno gives back: Businesses, organizations doing good during the pandemic

As the Reno community continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic,
we’re sharing with you some of the ways local businesses,
nonprofits and individuals are giving back and helping others.

Please note: only good deeds that impact everyone, or large groups of people, will be included in this list.

Good Deeds posted June 5

#SpayTogether Supported by the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation Launches in Nevada — A group of over 20 national organizations have joined forces to launch #SpayTogether, a stimulus fund to help animal shelters and veterinary clinics perform 50,000 lifesaving spay/neuter surgeries in the wake of COVID-19. This collaborative, historic initiative will provide surgery subsidy support grants, on-ground assistance, training in high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter surgeries, and discounted veterinary supplies and services to shelters and veterinary clinics affected by COVID-19. Participating spay/neuter clinics and private veterinary clinics will be able to offer discounted operations to the public through these funds. Nonprofit animal welfare organizations as well as private practice veterinarians who provide spay/neuter services for the public will be able to apply for special funding through June 8. Funding is limited, so organizations and businesses who are interested in participating are encouraged to apply ASAP. More information can be found at animalsheltering.org/spaytogether. 

Truckee Meadows Water Authority Hosts Free Walking Tour —  (TMWA) invites you to a Biodiverse Gardens Walking Tour this Saturday, June 6 at 10-11:30 a.m., at Valley Wood Park in northwest Reno. The walking tour is free and will highlight localized landscaping options that can be both water-efficient and beautiful. Participants will learn about ways to create a more bio-diverse garden that saves water and will help our honeybees, Monarch Butterflies and other important urban wildlife. The tour will be led by the designer and builder of the garden, Tom Stille, landscape architect and owner of Interpretive Gardens, Inc. Space is limited, and RSVPs are required via email [email protected] or by calling 775-834-8290. Valley Wood Park is managed by the City of Reno

Good Deeds posted June 3

Washoe County Regional Animal Services helping residents and pets with resources — Washoe County Regional Animal Services (WCRAS) is aiming to help relieve a little bit of stress for pet owners who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing pet owners with dog food, cat food, cat litter and other pet supplies. WCRAS will distribute resources in the parking lot across from WCRAS 2825 Longley Lane, Reno, NV 89502 on June 9, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Dog and cat food, cat litter and other pet supplies will be available while supplies last.  This is a drive through give-away, recipients need to please stay in their vehicle.  They do not need to bring their pet but a current ID is required.  Public advised to please follow the signs.

Good Deeds posted May 29

Founder of Reno/Sparks Mutual Aid community Facebook page honored as “Nevada Hero of the Day” by Nevada Health Response — Meghan Simons, founded the Reno/Sparks Mutual Aid Facebook group in March to connect people during the COVID-19 pandemic.  More than 4,500 have joined the group. Meghan, the mother of twin two-year-olds, said the group generates up to 20 posts each week that result in donation of food, supplies and other assistance as needed.

Delivering with Dignity Reno-Sparks Brings Thousands of Meals to Community in Need— Over 6,000 fresh meals have been delivered to in-need members of the Reno-Sparks community in under four weeks, thanks to Delivering with Dignity Reno-Sparks, a public service program where volunteers deliver high-quality meals from locally-owned restaurants directly to vulnerable families. Launched on May 4 of this year by Lt. Governor Kate Marshall and United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra, the program delivers food to those who are low-income and at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19, reducing their risk of exposure to the virus.

Rotarians donate $4,000 to Education Alliance of Washoe County for student laptops– Education Alliance is pleased to announce it has received a $4,000 donation from the Reno South Rotary Club. These funds will be used to supply Washoe County School District (WCSD) students in need with computers for Distance Learning. WCSD is identifying students eligible to receive donated computers. Availability of computers will depend upon the public response to our call for donations. Please direct any prospective donors to Education Alliance Executive Director Kendall Inskip at [email protected].

Nevada Humanities CARES: Emergency Relief Grants for Nevada Cultural Organizations Accepting Applications Until June 15 — Nevada Humanities has launched Nevada Humanities CARES: Emergency Relief Grants for Nevada Cultural Organizations to provide rapid-response, short-term operating support for Nevada non-profit humanities and cultural organizations facing financial hardship and duress resulting from the COVID-19 health emergency. This Nevada Humanities CARES grant program is intended to support general operating costs during these unprecedented times, not specific programs or projects. The application portal opens closes on June 15, 2020. Awards will be announced in mid-July. All guidelines, FAQs, and information on how to apply for a Nevada Humanities CARES grant can be found at nevadahumanities.org/cares-grants. 

Good Deeds posted May 27

Writers work to inform and entertain amid pandemic – This is Reno would like to take an opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank you to the local writers who have helped to inform and entertain our readers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders. Karl Breckenridge and Jody Rice together have submitted nearly 70 columns, regaling readers with history, adventure, and fond memories. Search “Breckenridge” on our site to read some of their work. Thank you also to Kris Vagner for her contributions from Double Scoop, the team at KUNR that has shared some of their recent reporting, and all of the individuals who have shared their opinions with us over the past several months creating a valuable community dialogue. We are lucky to be able to share their work with you.

Good Deeds posted May 22

Experiment Station offers food-safety information to farmers amid pandemic – With the current COVID-19 crisis, food safety is more important than ever, and food safety begins with those growing our food. As part of its Desert Farming Initiative, the University of Nevada, Reno Experiment Station is working with local agriculture producers during the pandemic to deliver food-safety education and resources. Jill Moe, education program coordinator with the Initiative, focuses on food safety, as well as the sustainability of local food systems. She explained these local food systems provide a safer resource for fresh produce for the community since local produce is typically handled less, reducing the potential for contamination and the spread of disease. Growers or others wanting information on produce safety can contact Moe at [email protected], or connect on the Desert Farming Initiative Facebook page at facebook.com/DesertFarmingInitiative.

Good Deeds posted May 15

Generator hosts virtual coloring contest — The Reno Generator is partnering with local artists and Nevada Fine Arts for a virtual coloring contest ending Friday, May 15. To participate, color, decorate, digitally paint or “artify” a coloring page. When completed, post artwork to social media using the hashtag #anyartisawesome and tag the Generator at @renogenerator. At the close, three winners will be picked to receive a local art prize featuring art from multiple local artists and Nevada Fine Arts. To learn more, visit the Generator’s site.

Reno Sparks flyover planned for May 15 — STIHL National Championship Air Races and Lightning Formation Airshows Partner for Tribute to First Responders, Medical Staff, Essential Workers and Military.  Reno and Sparks residents should turn their eyes skyward on Friday, May 15 for the Reno Hearts for Heroes flight, an aerial tribute to those who have given back to their community. The flyover is scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m., weather permitting, and will feature aerial smoke hearts over local hospitals around 1:30 p.m. The flight will take approximately one hour and will feature aerial smoke making the group highly visible as they fly over select locations. The team will create hearts over Northern Nevada Medical Center around 1:30 p.m., and Downtown Reno to honor both Renown Health and St. Mary’s Medical Center around 1:45 p.m. The aircraft will be low enough to be easily photographed, while remaining compliant with FAA regulations.

OUR Center Reno to Honor Outstanding LGBTQ+ Community Efforts at ‘Milk Made’ Awards — OUR Center Reno, a local nonprofit providing the Northern Nevada LGBTQ+ community access to support, resources, educational programs and more, will recognize the exceptional efforts that members of the community make in support of Northern Nevada GLBTQA (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Ally) rights at the Harvey Milk Day & Milk Made Awards. The Harvey Milk Day & Milk Made Awards will take place on Friday, May 22 from 7 – 9 p.m. online. Details regarding the virtual event will be available on the OUR Center Reno Facebook event page. Northern Nevada residents and community supporters who are interested in attending can learn more and RSVP via the event page or by emailing [email protected].

Tyler Harris selected as University of Nevada, Reno’s Spring 2020 Herz Gold Medalist — Tyler, a dual major in accounting and political science, minor in philosophy, is a Wooster High School graduate.The Spring 2020 Herz Gold Medal is bestowed upon the graduating senior who has the highest University grade point average with the most letter-graded credits (beyond 120) that have been earned at the University. Harris earned a 4.0.

Renown Health receives incredible donation of 6,000 face masks —  Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris and their regional partners at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s and Convoy of Hope made this donation as part of Morris’s goal of donating one million FDA-approved ASTM Level 1 Procedure Face Masks to healthcare workers and first responders working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis across the United States. 

Sierra Arts Foundation offers gallery space to Wild River Grille during phase 1 — Sierra Arts Foundation is lending its gallery space to Wild River Grille during Nevada’s Phase 1 of re-opening efforts. Wild River Grille has used the gallery before to host private parties of up to 40 people. In an effort to work collaboratively with the restaurant, Sierra Arts Foundation is offering the space more consistently as a means to expand square footage and help the restaurant get on its feet faster. For every table placed in the gallery, Sierra Arts Foundation will receive 10 percent of the proceeds. To book, please contact Wild River Grille at (775) 284-7455.

Kindness of Strangers Comedy Tour online fundraiser set for May 30 — Nationally-touring comedians Marc Yaffee and Adam Stone will perform an online benefit comedy show Saturday, May 30 at 8pm with proceeds going to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.  Yaffee, and Stone, long-time friends and comedy collaborators, recently created the Kindness of Strangers Comedy Tour.  With their in-person shows now postponed due to COVID-19, the two comedians are turning online to Zoom and Facebook Live to share laughs and raise money.Audience members can watch on Facebook Live or Zoom.  To watch on Facebook Live, go to the Kindness of Strangers Comedy Facebook page;  https://www.facebook.com/groups/kindnessofstrangerscomedy. To view on zoom, go to www.Zoom.us and in the Join a Meeting field, enter the Meeting ID: 843 7538 7220

Good Deeds posted May 12

PBS Reno Launches Better Together Challenge  – In a collaborative effort to shine a light on local heroes, raise money for our neighbors in-need and support public television, PBS Reno has launched a month-long initiative inviting every person in our community to give back during the unprecedented situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. PBS Reno is working to welcome 200 new members during the Better Together Challenge, which runs through June 7. When PBS Reno reaches this goal, the Nell J. Redfield Foundation will provide a generous $20,000 matching grant, which will be evenly divided between Food Bank of Northern Nevada and PBS Reno. For more information, visit https://www.pbsreno.org/support/better-together/

Good Deeds posted May 7

#LocalFoodLove challenge — Last month, Q&D issued a challenge to businesses that Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak permitted to stay open during the shelter-in-place order to support locally-owned restaurants that are offering to-go services and curbside pickup and use the hashtag #LocalFoodLove to highlight their participation. Every Wednesday, Q&D has ordered take-out lunch for its office and jobsite team members from a local restaurant. Alongside Q&D, to date, the company is thrilled to celebrate nearly 30 northern Nevada companies that have supported more than 45 local restaurants throughout the duration of the challenge.
Several businesses also opted to donate meals to non-profit organizations and frontline healthcare workers in the area:

• Tolles Development Company delivered fresh food from Mari Chuy’s Mexican Kitchen to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.
• Western Nevada Supply and Reno Green Landscaping teamed up to deliver 60 meals and drinks from Capriotti’s Plumb Lane to frontline healthcare workers Renown Health.
• Reno Green Landscaping delivered fresh food from Butcher’s Kitchen Char-B-Que to staff members at Five Star Premier Residences of Reno and Lakeside Health & Wellness Suites.
• Nevada Wolf Pack Sports Properties partnered with a local Jimmy John’s to provide sandwiches to healthcare workers at Renown as well.

Thrive Wellness of Reno has launched two new support groups to help individuals on the frontlines fighting the pandemic and being impacted by COVID-19 — 

• COVID-19 Impact Support Group – A free, virtual therapy for first responders and healthcare providers working on the pandemic’s frontlines taking place on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
• NICU Parent Support Group – A virtual support group for parents with babies in the NICU taking place on Thursdays at 10 a.m.

To register for the support groups, people should call 775-525-8103 or email [email protected].

Nevada Humanities presents the next installment of its bimonthly Salon series —  The series can be found at facebook.com/nevadahumanities on Friday, May 15, 2020, 6-7 p.m. Indigenous Narratives in the Modern Context will feature a virtual discussion about journalism, jurisdictional issues, and Indigenous narratives. Moderated by Stacey Montooth, Executive Director of the State of Nevada Indian Commission, a diverse panel of experts will discuss how Indigenous histories are often ignored within the United States, which has led to the erasure of place-based narratives. A panel of Native scholars and journalists will discuss how colonial mapping practices have created complex jurisdictional issues, inspiring a new generation of journalists and storytellers. A recording of the virtual Salon will be available at nevadahumanities.org.

Good Deeds posted May 5

New Bi-Weekly Call-In Show Designed to Help Aging Adults Weather the COVID-19 Storm — When The HELLO Project received a BUILD Health Challenge grant back in November to address social isolation and loneliness amongst elderly adults in Reno, they had no idea how timely and relevant the program would be. Rising to the challenge, The HELLO Project has fast-tracked programs to engage and enrich the lives of older adults sheltering in place. It Starts with Hello, The Hello Project’s bi-weekly virtual community gathering place, takes place Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, and people can attend by calling in or joining on their computer via Zoom (See viewing information here). Each show will feature a timely topic, factual information, a chance to chat with others in the community, and ends with some good news – The Daily Dandelion.

Sysco Bringing Grocery Staples to Reno, Sparks Consumers with Will-Call Pop-Up Truck Sale at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino – Sysco Sacramento, a distributor of food products to restaurant, education and healthcare industries, is providing food direct to consumers on May 8 and 9, 2020, at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino through the launch of a Will-Call Pop-Up Truck sale. Consumers can shop from the convenience of their home, purchase a range of restaurant-quality food products as well as non-food items and pick up their orders in a safe, contactless manner.  Interested consumers may place their orders at shopsacramento.sysco.com/. Purchases must be completed by 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 7. Orders will be available for pick up at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday or from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Customers can indicate their preferred pick up day and will receive instructions for safe, socially distant protocols at the conclusion of check out. Purchases are not limited to Reno, Sparks citizens, but pick-up will be held only at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino.

Lieutenant Governor, Community Partners Launch Delivering with Dignity in Reno-Sparks —Delivering with Dignity Reno-Sparks, a public service program where volunteers deliver high-quality meals from locally-owned restaurants directly to vulnerable families, has officially launched today. The program aims to help those who identify as low-income as well as elderly or immunocompromised receive fresh food without leaving their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and thereby reduce their risk of exposure to the virus, while also providing job security for restaurant employees.

ITS Logistics Helping Safe Embrace Meet the Needs of Children Impacted by the Increase in Domestic Abuse in Northern Nevada During COVID-19 —Children staying in the Safe Embrace shelter have already lost their homes, their clothes, their toys, and their sense of normalcy. With COVID-19, they have also lost the routine and safety that going to school provided to them. Safe Embrace’s Kids Klub brings a little of that normalcy back to their lives. #GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity, set to take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. To join ITS Logistics in supporting Safe Embrace, please visit www.SafeEmbrace.org to donate.

Law Firm Offering Pro Bono Estate Planning for Reno Healthcare Workers in Response to COVID-19 – Blanchard, Krasner & French, a law firm with offices in Reno, Nevada, and La Jolla, California, is making available pro bono remote estate planning services to essential workers, and their spouses, who work in healthcare roles and live in Reno or Sparks, in gratitude for their work on the front lines of COVID-19. Recipients of pro bono services will be assessed via application on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those interested can learn more about eligibility and apply for consideration. The completed questionnaire should be filled out and returned via email to [email protected] by May 11, 2020. Applicants are encouraged to make availability for a half-hour consultation on  Friday, May 15, 2020. 

Good Deeds posted May 2

Reps4Recovery offering free daily resources —  Reps4Recovery, a local foundation that offers free gym memberships, peer mentorship, and other resources to people recovering from substance abuse illness in the Reno-Sparks community, is offering free live weekly Zoom workout/yoga/group chats.  The weekly recurring schedule with links is listed below.  Schedules are also posted on the Reps4Recovery FB page at https://www.facebook.com/Reps4Recovery/?tn-str=k*F and anyone interested in more information can also message the Reps4recovery team directly there as well. All groups are open to the community during these unique times.  (Click on the link below the scheduled workout to join up to ten minutes before the corresponding time) 

• Monday 6PM with Josh – https://zoom.us/j/594579380
• Tuesday 6PM with Brandon – https://zoom.us/j/174036423
• Wednesday 6PM Mobility with Bobby – https://zoom.us/j/975636403
• Wednesday 7PM Group Chat with Grant D.- https://zoom.us/j/353583164
• Thursday 7PM Yoga with Katie – https://zoom.us/j/303359272
• Friday 12PM R4R Community Check In and Chat – https://zoom.us/j/275708334
• Saturday 10AM 12 Step Recovery Yoga with Katie – https://zoom.us/j/609297289
• Sunday 10AM Group Workout –https://zoom.us/j/710735090

Good Deeds posted May 1

WCSD Honors Outstanding Contributions of Nutrition Services Employees — Since traditional classes were suspended in the Washoe County School District (WCSD) in mid-March due to the COVID-19 crisis, Nutrition Services staff members have continued to work every day, preparing nearly 150,000 tasty, nutritious meals for thousands of children in Washoe County who might otherwise have gone without food. On May 1, WCSD joins with school districts around the country in honoring these heroes for National School Lunch Hero Day. In honor of School Lunch Heroes Day, WCSD is honoring Nutrition Services employees by inviting students and families to show their appreciation for their school nutrition staff when they pick up their meals with one of these ideas:

• Making thank you cards to drop off at meal pick-up sites
• Designing a poster with a favorite school meal
• Sending an e-card via social media channels, @WashoeSchoolNutrition (Facebook)
• Sending messages, pictures, and/or video recording of students appreciation and tag @WashoeCountySchoolDistrict and use #HeroesWearHairnets
• Having students dress up as their favorite superhero while picking up their meal(s)
• Decorating vehicles for meal pick up

COVID-19 Relief Fund Grants Help Community’s Most Vulnerable — This week, four area nonprofits serving the most vulnerable people during the COVID-19 crisis received $50,200 in grants from the Community Foundation of Western Nevada’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. Northern Nevada HOPES will use their $10,000 grant to purchase Personal Protective Equipment for the 15 staff seeing patients in the parking lot pop-up clinic that increases total clinical space to accommodate social distancing. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada received a $30,000 grant as part of the #GivingTuesdayNow $50,000 matching gift challenge. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) was given a $200 grant to buy a yearly subscription to Zoom to host mental health support groups virtually. Additionally, $15,600 worth of gift cards from area restaurants who donated $20 of each $100 card were given to area hospitals and healthcare organizations to disperse to employees working on the front lines through the COVID Kindness program in partnership with Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce, and $5,000 of healthy frozen meals were purchased for REMSA responders.

From distilled spirits and juice to hand sanitizer: local businesses shift efforts to help Renown fight the good fight against germs amid pandemic — Thanks to the support of local businesses, Renown Health’s need for hand sanitizer is being met. Seven Troughs Distilling Co., with the help of several area distilleries including The Depot Craft Brewery Distillery and Forsaken River Spirits, is using their distilling equipment to create ethyl alcohol. Damon Industries mixes the ethyl alcohol with other key ingredients in accordance to the hand sanitizer recipe issued by the FDA and World Health Organization, bottles the contents, and distributes the bottles to Renown. This community-wide collaboration has resulted in 726 gallons of hand sanitizer for Renown thus far.

Rotary Club of Reno donates $25,000 to Education Alliance of Washoe County for student laptops — Education Alliance is excited to announce it has received a $25,000 donation from the Rotary Club of Reno, known as the Downtown Rotary Club. The funds will be used to supply laptops for in-need students for their distance learning. Local businesses, organizations, and individuals are encouraged to donate to help close the digital gaps in Washoe County. ITS Logistics is collecting new or gently used laptops/desktops at its offices located at 555 Vista Blvd., Sparks, Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Financial donations may be submitted at www.ed-alliance.org/donate. Please direct any prospective donors to Education Alliance Executive Director Kendall Inskip at [email protected].

Second round of PPP funding is allowing smaller local lending institutions more opportunities to lend to small local businesses — As of Thursday, April 30, Greater Nevada Credit Union processed 3,836 PPP applications nationwide, totaling $485.5 million, from both government allocations of PPP funding.

• In Nevada: 779 applications for Nevada-based businesses, totaling $76.1 million
• In California: 517 PPP applications, totaling $71.4 million

Wally Murray, President and CEO, is available for interviews to speak more about the program and how GNCU can benefit small businesses right now.

Good Deeds posted April 28

Raley’s provides volunteers of America – NCNN with $100,000 in food donations to seniors and low-income residents — Raley’s Markets, a family run chain, has generously donated almost $100,000 in packaged meals, fresh produce, and meats to Volunteers of America-NCNN over the past four weeks. VOA serves 1,100 meals a day to its congregate sites and now an additional 5,950 meals a week to isolated seniors, veterans, disabled and homeless families. Raley’s is providing packaged meals to residents who normally don’t receive food from VOA but who are currently sheltering in place. The stay at home order has significantly impacted clients in all VOA programs as they are not able to access meals due to age, health, disability or loss of employment. For additional information, please contact: Linda Grace, 775-354-3059, [email protected] or Becca Whitman, (916)373-6043, [email protected]

Nevada auto dealers donate $100,000 to COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund – In an effort to help support the state’s healthcare workers and first responders, the Nevada Franchised Auto Dealers Association (NFADA) and its southern chapter, Southern Nevada Franchised New Car & Truck Dealer Association, have donated a combined $100,000 to the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Each chapter donated $50,000 to help secure and provide additional personal protective equipment (PPE) vital to protecting the state’s healthcare workers. In addition to association donations, Bill Pearce Automotive and Forman Automotive, members of NFADA, have made individual contributions as well.

Pizza Guys has been delivering free pizzas to hospitals since the very beginning of our current crisis —Pizza Guys, a Sacramento-based pizza franchise concept, has donated over 8,500 pizzas to healthcare workers fighting on the frontlines of COVID-19 throughout various cities in Northern California. Now, they are continuing their charitable efforts here in Nevada. The Sparks Pizza Guys will be donating 200 pizzas to the Northern Nevada Medical Center in Sparks on April 28. They will also be making donations at Vista Clinic and Sparks Medical office later this week.

Local Students Create Masks for Frontline Healthcare Workers at Reno Behavioral Healthcare Hospital — Local high school students are demonstrating their community service by making protective masks for frontline healthcare workers to assist in their response to Covid-19. The students from Galena High School have spent the last few weeks making masks and recently created a Website for community members to assist in the process. www.stitchinmasks.weebly.com

RSAR Creates Safety Kits for Members as they Adapt to new Guidelines – The Reno/Sparks Association of REALTORS® (RSAR) leadership team will distribute safety kits to members on May 1, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. as real estate agents adapt to new guidelines and virtual showings. RSAR is taking precautions to ensure the health and safety of its sellers and buyers. The safety kits will be handed out in the RSAR parking lot. As members drive through between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the leadership team will place the kits in the trunk or back seat of members’ cars so that all social distancing guidelines are followed. Supplies in the safety kit include a face mask, a pair of shoe covers, hand sanitizer, RSAR stickers and literature for staying safe while showing homes.

Good Deeds posted April 24

High Rollers’ flyover to honor COVID-19 first responders — The 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, also known as the “High Rollers,” are scheduled for a C-130 flyover noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 28 passing over Northern Nevada and Sierra range medical facilities to honor first responders on the frontline battling COVID-19.  Call 1st Lt. Emerson Marcus at (702) 265-6301 or Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber (775) 788-4515 for additional information.

iCelerate – High Sierra Industries makes more than 1,100 washable and reusable face coverings to help families in need —While practicing safe workplace protocols, HSI has found a way to give back and help the community and most importantly to those families who are often overlooked when it comes to accessing vital resources. Custom Ink has generously donated several hundred poly-cotton blend t-shirts and from the t-shirts, HSI has made more than 1,100 washable and reusable face coverings that can be customized to different sizes and require no sewing. These face coverings were delivered to the Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows where they will be distributed with English and Spanish instructions for cutting slits that fit over the ears as part of the weekly Food Pantry distribution with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. To learn more visit: https://bgctm.org/covid19-programming/.

Fifth Annual Sci-On! Film Festival transitions to online edition May 4-9 — Celebrating the best science and science-fiction short films of the year from all around the world, Sci-On! will be transitioning from live venues to an all-online format and aims to become Northern Nevada’s first ONLINE film festival. Moviegoers will have access to six days of short films and special events, including a virtual May the Fourth Celebration! For schedules, to purchase online passes or make a donation, visit www.sci-on.org.

Nevada Small Business Development Center announces “Support Small Business 5-Day Challenge” — The Nevada Small Business Development Center announces a social media campaign to support small businesses across the state. The campaign, Support Small Businesses 5-Day Challenge, gives everyone a way to support small businesses from the safety of their home. The six-part video series will have an announcement video on Sunday, April 26, and then a daily challenge to follow on each of the five days during the rest of the week. Campaign videos will be available daily, from April 26 through May 1 at https://www.facebook.com/NevadaSBDC and https://twitter.com/NevadaSBDC. America’s SBDC Nevada also has a COVID-19 Small Business Resiliency Guide available at https://nevadasbdc.org/business-resiliency-plan.

Nevada Association of SkillsUSA to host annual State Leadership and Skills conference virtually — SkillsUSA, a statewide educational organization serving more than 5,000 high school and college students who are preparing for trade, technical and skilled service careers, is hosting its annual conference starting April 23.  The interactive-virtual conference will feature two weeks of online activities and opportunities to interact with industry professionals across the Silver State. All Nevada high school and college students are invited to participate. For a full schedule of events, visit nvskillsusa.com

New online math championship provides new opportunities — For the first time, the Northern Nevada Math Club Inc (NNVMath) is holding the 5th Annual State of Nevada Elementary Math Championship all online on Saturday, May 2, 2020. Additionally, NNVMath is adding a new online State of Nevada Middle School Math Championship and a State of Nevada High School Math Championship. Registration is online at www.NNVMath.org/events and entry fee is $15.00. Financial support is available by contacting [email protected].

Good Deeds posted April 22

Local screen printer sells t-shirts to raise money for local businesses — Stitches Clothing Co., a local contract screen printer, has set up a web store selling t-shirts to support local small businesses. Stitches will help with the design, cover all costs, print the t-shirts and will also donate $10 of every t-shirt sale back to each business to help offset some of the immediate costs businesses are dealing with during this pandemic. The first round of the campaign will feature 20 local businesses such as Holland Project, SUP, Coffee n’ Comics, Pitch Black Printing, Craft Wine and Beer, and State 36 Clothing. The web store will launch on April 24 at https://stitches-clothing-co-store.myshopify.com/ and will accept pre-orders until May 10.

Adopt-a-High School Senior Facebook page created — If you are are a high school senior, know a senior or want to support a senior who is missing milestones that cannot be replaced during this COVID-19 quarantine, please join and share. Visit the site at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2327200870914460/

Reno/Sparks quarantine meal deals Facebook page created — a page has been created on Facebook as a resource for locals to find current deals on meals during the pandemic.  To add deals or access the information on current offers, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/2578383092435104/?ref=share

Good Deeds posted April 21

Local distributor for Boar’s Head meats partners with local sandwich shops to provide meals for first responders — Sierra Nevada Deli Provisions’s owner Yandy Roman, has offered to team up with local delis and sandwich shops to provide catered lunches to local hospitals for their critical role in battling the COVID-19 virus in our communities. Roman will donate all of the Boar’s Head meat and cheese in exchange for help making the sandwiches. One customer, The Urban Deli, which is owned by Luis & April Rosales, has stayed open providing to-go and pick-up options for the community. Like many other food service establishments in town, they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Urban Deli & Sierra Nevada Deli Provisions will be delivering lunch for 20 staff members of the ER at the South Meadows Renown this Friday. If you are a local deli or sandwich shop interested in providing meals, contact Yandy Roman at:Sierra Nevada Deli Provisions, 509-919-1785 or [email protected]

10 Torr Distilling & Brewery donates hand sanitizer — Local distillery 10 Torr has developed and donated over 40 gallons of hand sanitizer to healthcare workers and businesses, including Renown, the VA, Homeless Shelter, Northern Nevada Health System and more.  This week, 10 Torr reopened to the public for curbside hand sanitizer purchases and pick-ups. To place an order: 

1. Call 10 Torr at 775.499.5276, Tuesday-Saturday, 2-6 pm. 
2. Provide your name, your car make/color
3. Place order: 
   • 4oz. Individual Bottles (Limit 6) – $4
   • Half Gallon Refill Bottles – $50
   • Case (Four 1/2 Gallon Refill Bottles) – $180 
4. Park in the designated curbside spots located on the west side of the building located at 490 Mill St, Reno. A team member will deliver sanitizer to the car window with gloves/masks.
5. Card-only purchases. Orders must be picked up the same day.

Noble Pie Parlor helping feed out-of-work service industry via “Meals that Heal,” funneling to Feed Our Heroes program — Meals That Heal helps out-of-work service industry employees and health care pros on the front lines. Menu options underneath “Meals that Heal” can be found on Postmates, Door Dash and Uber Eats, where an additional item can be purchased to fund a meal for the Feed Our Heroes effort. Out-of-work service industry workers are asked to contact the restaurant so they know where to direct donations: www.noblepieparlor.com/contact-us
$30 (Donation – 1 Free Meal): 14″ 1-Topping Pie + (1) Small Signature Salad
$50 (Donation – 2 Free Meals): 20″ 1-Topping Pie + (1) Large Signature Salad + (1) Sweet Cinn Knots
Donate Direct with a $5 Donation that goes to 1 Free Meal for “Meals That Heal” community!

Sierra Arts Foundation’s Artist Relief Fund has allocated more than $13,239 to 72 artists — Wild River Grille efforts raised $800 (SAF added $100); to route $300 each to Brüka, Reno Little Theater, and Good Luck Macbeth theaters. Sierra Arts Foundation continues to solicit dollars for its relief fund. So far it has made immediate money available to 72 artists and counting. For more information, visit https://sierraarts.org/

Urban Roots – sponsor activity kits for essential workers — For those kids at home while their parents are at work, Urban Roots wants to give them something to do. Urban Roots is asking the community to consider sponsoring their activity kits (formerly family engagement kits) to be sent to essential workers during this time. Individuals can route the kits to someone of their own choosing, otherwise the kits will be routed to workers of local grocery stores, hospitals, and other front-line businesses. For more information call (775) 636-5105 or email [email protected]

Local nonprofit launches quarantine coding club: teaches kids how they can be a part of the digital solution to COVID-19 — In February 2020, a recently founded nonprofit called MetaCoders launched in-person coding classes in Reno at the University of Nevada and coding summer camps were scheduled to start in July. Since COVID-19 shut down Washoe County schools, the staff at MetaCoders have taken their classes online by creating an online Coding Club that teaches students how they can build technologies to help their own virus-afflicted communities. Quarantine Coding Club currently has sessions M-F from 12pm-1pm and 3pm-4pm, but new sessions are expected to open based on parent interest. Parents can get a free session for their student by emailing [email protected] with the secret password “Reno Against COVID”. Learn more at: https://metacoders.org/online.

Opportunity Alliance Nevada Launching Volunteer Financial Navigator Services — Beginning Tuesday, April 21 Opportunity Alliance Nevada (OA-NV) will launch its response to COVID-19 with a free volunteer Financial Navigator service.  OANV Financial Navigators are ready to help Nevadans that are financially stressed to better navigate their emerging financial needs.  This is a one-on-one, virtual, support service using volunteers. They will not be licensed professionals, but folks with backgrounds that can work with the Crisis Team to help people in the community better navigate their emerging financial needs. Email your request to [email protected] or call or send a text to (202) 925-8209 (This phone # is answered directly by OANV Volunteer Financial Navigators).