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While the world suffers the greatest health crisis in history, our peers, our friends and family in the service and live-music industries find themselves hit especially hard. Our original goal in focusing on the mental health aspects of these jobs, has now quickly expanded to focus on basic neccesities as well, including food, shelter, medication and more. We have recently taken steps to donate the majority of our 2019 fundraising dollars towards immediate help for those in need, including to some of the resources listed below. Please check out the links for more expansive and detailed help:
CHICAGO SERVICE INDUSTRY WEEKLY MONDAY VIRTUAL MEET-UP
or dial: (US) +1 401-594-2059
PIN: 311 554 031#
LGBTQIA+ DIGITAL DIVIDE AND SAFE SPACE RESOURCE
EATER ONLINE MAGAZINE LIST OF SERVICE INDUSTRY RELIEF RESOURCES
FIFTY50 BAR: FREE MEAL SERVICE FOR CHICAGO INDUSTRY WORKERS
LEE INITIATIVE INDUSTRY WORKERS RELIEF (CHICAGO'S WEST TOWN BAKERY)
COVID-19 HEALTH AND COPING RESOURCES
LAKEVIEW PANTRY (CHICAGO)
CHICAGO SERVICE INDUSTRY RELIEF
CARE KITCHEN (CHICAGO)
CALL 4 CALM INDUSTRY HOTLINE
ANXIETY AND PANIC RELIEF
Welcome to Darkest Before Dawn. Launched in 2017, we are a non-profit based in Chicago, with one simple yet urgent goal: to provide resources, support, and community for our nightlife, restaurant and music venue industry, who's late hours and isolated commutes leave them susceptible to depression, addiction and suicide. Recent data points to a high rate of chemical dependency and suicide for this demographic in our country, especially in the very industries built to provide excitement, leisure and happiness to everyone else. They are the people heading home in the early morning hours, when businesses are closed, the streets are empty, and it truly is the darkest period of time before the dawn.
SPRING 2021: As we reach the 1-year anniversary of our global battle with Covid-19, we have hope as we glimpse light at the end of this dark tunnel. As an organization run by mainly service industry vets, we too found ourselves scrambling for footing and safety over the past year. Unable to rely on our usual fundraising efforts in live music, we decided to donate everything we collected in 2019 to the spring 2020 effort to feed as many people as possible, while unemployment benefits stalled and uncertainty reigned. We donated over $7000 to local organizations like the 50/50 Group, Lakeview Pantry and the 2 Bears Tavern Group in their efforts to feed the service industry. In addition, we awarded 40 anonymous applicants $150 apiece to secure groceries, medicine or cover bills as the spring 2020 work stoppage was a new and frightening reality.
Our efforts came together in the fall of 2020, as we launched the multi-day VIRTUAL COLD WAVES Festival, which helped raise $4500 for the Metro/Smart Bar/G-Man GOFUNDME account, as well as helped to rebuild the DB4D fund for more future endeavors. May we all find coverage, comfort and a future to embrace as the vaccine rollout continues, and our new government finally provides the aid neccesary to move past this crisis, and to seize the day ahead.
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2019:
The 2019 Cold Waves campaign was the most successful yet, raising just over $12,000 for Darkest Before Dawn. The silent auctions and raffles were supported very graciously by the Cold Waves patrons, and some amazing gear, music, art and memorabilia was donated by some very generous people. We want to thank: Marc LaCorte and Schecter Guitar Research, Frankie Nardiello, Chris Christian, Electronic Saviors, Russ Britton, Christian Salas and Novation, Mike Welling and Enterprise Rental Car, Wax Trax!, Peter Black and Pylon Records and many more.
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2018:
Thank you to the One Off Hospitality Group for making us their September 2018 charity focus, gaining DB4D a $1900 donation from their amazing group of restaurants. Much thanks to I:Scintilla for naming us as their charity beneficiary for their recent remix contest. They raised almost $900 in the process and we couldn't be more thankful. Finally, a massive and humble round of applause and thanks to the Cold Waves attendees in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles who bid on and supported the DB4D raffles and auctions. We raised just over $6000 from the generous attendees who participated.
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RIP Anthony Bourdain. You were an inspiration and a treasure, a hero to every service industry worker and a beautiful voice for all.
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We have lost too many members of this community, from artists and chefs to bartenders and waitstaff, security, healthcare and more. We feel that there is a lack of medical, social and protective benefits for this particular group, and as we build Darkest before Dawn, our goal is to offer:
- A directory of businesses committed to the health, safety and support of industry employees
- A telephone and text hotline, staffed by crisis counsel-certified peers in the latest of hours
- Industry-focused chat rooms, social media pages and message boards
- Safety programs and security advocacy for employees as well as patrons
- A curated list of medical and mental health resources, offering sliding-scale rates and off-hour access
- Fundraising efforts for industry artists and employees in need
- A testimonial site to share stories, art and photos of those who need support, or those we have lost
- Finally, a return to proper service industry appreciation events and fundraisers
If you'd like more information or are interested in becoming a volunteer, please send us an email at info@db4d.org. In the coming months we will build this site into a peer-supported forum for those in need of a voice, a sounding board, a friend, an advisor or a confidant. All of us either have worked or are working in the service or entertainment-support industries. We know the frustrations, pitfalls and isolation of the job, the scarcity of medical or mental health benefits, and the need for help in those dark moments when you are exhausted, frustrated or alone. We want to celebrate the people who work so hard to make our nightlife possible, and to give them something back in return. We are gearing up for a productive debut year in 2018 and look forward to building our team, raising awareness, and helping those in need.
Want to make a donation? Your contribution will help immensely in our efforts.
Are you a nightlife, service industry or live music venue employee?
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