FORT WORTH (1080 KRLD) - Leon Bridges, who was born in Fort Worth, will host a virtual benefit Thursday evening to raise money for people who work in the Near Southside and lost their job or had their pay cut because of COVID-19.
The concert can be viewed for free; people are asked to donate to Southside C.A.R.E.S. or with PayPal, using the name @southsidecares. Southside C.A.R.E.S. stands for "Culinary Arts, Retail, Entertainment and Services."
The fund offers $250 grants to service workers in the Near Southside who have seen pay cuts or lost their job because of COVID-19 closures. Englander says Kent & Co. will match donations up to $10,000.
"Because of our ability to be retail, we were in a fortunate spot that a lot of the people in the neighborhood were not," he says. "This is a very creative neighborhood, a lot of creative people."
Englander worked with Near Southside, Inc. to set up the fund.
"I'm learning just how strong your Near Southside team is, the job they have done to support all the businesses on the street during this tough time is amazing," he says.
Since restrictions started, bars and restaurants along Magnolia and South Main have been closed or had to limit sales to "to go" orders. But Englander says businesses in the area and people who live in the Fairmount National Historic District have grown closer together.