For many business owners, the coronavirus has upended their lives and livelihoods.
But as they grapple with a new economic reality, there are those who have reached out to help the community in need.
Here are some ways they have been giving back.
1. Rooms for healthcare workers and employees
Various hotels have been offering rooms to healthcare workers as well as their own employees who might need accommodation.
The Pebbles and MedAsia group are offering a secluded wing of their Pebbles hotel in Sliema mainly to nurses, carers and helpers, who cannot afford any other accommodation. This hotel, as well as the company’s hotel in Buġibba, is also offering accommodation and meals to their own employees who cannot afford rent.
The Valletta Boutique Living group are also letting apartments and rooms at a low price for people working in hospitals, as well as giving hot meals to workers who don’t have time to cook.
Pebbles and MedAsia group opened 17 rooms in a secluded wing of their hotel in Sliema.2. Free software to help NGOs telework
With the numbers of coronavirus cases transmitted within the community increasing, health authorities are advising everyone to work from home where possible. For cash-strapped NGOs, who are already seeing a drop in donations, this could be an added pressure. Technology company Seasus, which specialises in creating business systems, has offered its service and platforms free to all non-profit organisation that wants to start teleworking.
3. Food donations for the most vulnerable families
As restaurants close and vulnerable people are left stranded in their homes, JCI Malta found a way to help both groups. They launched a new project called ‘Buy a Meal’, where people with as little as €10 can buy a number of meals. These will be ordered from restaurants chosen at random and then delivered to families in need.
Nineteen businesses have also supported a 'food aid project', set up by the Malta Trust Foundation after it reported an increase from disadvantaged families struggling to get their next meal.
The Pulled Meat Company and Briju restaurants, along with volunteer chefs, food supply companies and delivery services, are cooking meals to feed at least one family a day. They've named it the 'victory kitchen' in honour of the service of the same name that fed poor families in wartime Valletta.
The wartime 'victory kitchen' concept has returned in the battle to contain the spread of coronavirus. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli4. Keeping elderly people safe - by moving in with them
The elderly are the most vulnerable to getting seriously ill from coronavirus. So 540 care workers at private residential home group CareMalta will live in centres they work at for the next three weeks. This decision came a week after the government’s directives to cease all visits for residents to minimise risk of exposure for elderly people to the COVID-19.
The issued statement said, “CareMalta thanks its incredible team who have put themselves forward out of their own free will for the best interest of the residents’ safety.”
5. Face mask and glove donations
The Malta Trust Foundation, which brings together business people, professionals and academics is donating 20,000 specialised face masks to healthcare workers, thanks to the collaboration between the foundation and Chinese donors William Zeng, Nicole Yang and Li Hua.
On Wednesday, 15,000 masks were given to Prime Minister Robert Abela. The rest were distributed to the Association of General Practitioners for doctors who were seeing patients without any protection.
A group of around 10 tattoo artists are doing something similar by donating all their face masks and gloves to the authorities.
6. Mattresses for care workers
Faced with battling the coronavirus at work and wanting to protect their families at home, some care workers have temporarily moved out of their houses. Mattress Collection has donated its stock of mattresses and pillows to help the real heroes sleep better at night.
7. Water for coronavirus patients
It's the most basic of needs. When lead generation company Blexr asked Mater Dei how they could help, the hospital suggested they provide water for current and future coronavirus patients. So the company sent a van with 500 bottles of mineral water to the hospital.
Bottles of water delivered to Mater Dei hospital. Photo: Blexr