

Helping Hands
Learn how TXBIZ Members businesses across the country are helping those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Altria Group, Inc.
It has committed $1 million to support immediate local coronavirus relief efforts in its headquarters community of Richmond, VA, and its other manufacturing and grower communities.
As part of this initial investment, Altria provided $500,000 to the Community Foundation of Greater Richmond’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch is making hand sanitizer to support the growing demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company is using its supply and logistics network to produce and distribute the bottles.
Under the guidance of the American Red Cross, the company will ship the sanitizer to communities in need.
AT&T
Qualified schools activating new lines on qualified data-only plans for school-issued tablets, 4G LTE-enabled laptops and hotspot devices will get the wireless data service at no cost for 60 days.
Additionally, to help keep families connected during this uncertain time, AT&T is also funding 60 days of free access and unlimited usage of Caribu, a video-calling application that allows family members to read, draw, and play games with one another while in distant locations.
For 60 days, AT&T will waive domestic wireless plan overage charges for data, voice or text for residential or small business wireless customers incurred because of economic hardship related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bank of America
Bank of America is committing $100 million to support local communities in need as the world faces unprecedented challenges from the coronavirus. The funds will help increase medical response capacity, address food insecurity, increase access to learning as a result of school closures, and provide support to the world’s most vulnerable populations.
The majority of Bank of America’s funds will be distributed on the ground in local markets, focused on both immediate needs facing local communities and providing ongoing support in the months ahead. The company will also increase funding to several national and global organizations that are on the front lines, tackling the most pressing issues in local communities.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas has gifted a $1,000,000 grant to the Texas Restaurant Association’s TX Restaurant Relief Fund in response to the losses suffered by restaurants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grant will help keep restaurants in operation while also providing 150,000 meals to first responders as they work to contain the virus.
The money will be distributed through independently owned restaurants that will provide individually packaged meals to healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. Other funds will go toward Chipotle and Whataburger vouchers given to first responders. The money will support 100 independently owned restaurants, 670 Whataburger, and more than 220 Chipotle stores in the state.
Capital One
Capital One will provide assistance such as minimum payment assistance, deferred loan assistance, and fee suppressants to customers that face “financial difficulties” due to COVID-19.
Cigna
Cigna will cover diagnostic testing when ordered by a doctor, ease network, referral and prior authorization requirements and/or waive patient cost sharing.
Charter Communications
Charter Communications announced that it will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who don’t already have a Spectrum subscription.
Chevron
Chevron is giving $230,000 across Permian Basin nonprofits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations receiving funding include the West Texas Food Bank and Eddy and Lea County United Ways.
Dell
Dell has set aside another $3 million USD in funds and in-kind technology donations to help meet the greatest needs of its communities and the front-line organizations working to treat and contain COVID-19 around the world.
The company has set up a fundraising page where team members can donate to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation to help in the relief efforts.
Google has launched an SOS Alert to connect people with authoritative information from the World Health Organization about the coronavirus outbreak. These SOS Alerts are now available in over 20 languages.
Google announced that it would be rolling out free access to “advanced” features for Hangouts Meet to all G Suite and G Suite for Education customers globally through July 1st. That means organizations can host meetings with up to 250 participants, live stream to up to 100,000 viewers within a single domain, and record and save meetings to Google Drive.
IBM
IBM is also announcing that its IBM Clinical Development (ICD) system will be available without charge to national health agencies for clinical trials designed to speed development of drugs to combat the virus.
Microsoft
Microsoft is offering a free six-month trial globally for a premium tier of Microsoft Teams, Business Insider first reported on Tuesday.
On March 10th, Microsoft says it will also roll out an update to the free version of Teams that will lift restrictions on how many users can be part of a team and allow users to schedule video calls and conferences.
Microsoft is also donating $1 million to a fund for Seattle-area rapid response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Pfizer
The Pfizer Foundation has provided $500,000 in grants to support the provision of urgently needed aid and supplies to front-line healthcare workers.
Uber
Uber is giving away over 300,000 free meals to health-care workers and first responders who are helping combat the coronavirus pandemic. Uber will also support drivers and delivery people diagnosed with novel coronavirus or placed in quarantine by a public health authority.
Pearson
Pearson is providing access to expert faculty, best practices, and other online learning resources for people who are studying, teaching or working remotely.
Pearson has offered a number of services for free, such as access to an e-book library for U.S. and U.K. higher education students already using Pearson courseware; free access to the Aida Calculus app until June; free on-demand webinars for higher education faculty, live webinars for K-12 parents and teachers.
UnitedHealthcare
These actions will expand access to testing and medical care, medication, telehealth services and virtual care including rollout of an innovative, personalized digital platform which includes a symptom checker to help members rapidly assess their risk for COVID-19:
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Continue to waive costs for COVID-19 testing provided at approved locations in accordance with the CDC guidelines
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Eligible UnitedHealthcare and OptumRx members needing help obtaining an early prescription refill can call the customer care number located on their medical ID card for assistance
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Expanding its telehealth policies to make it easier for people to connect with their healthcare provider
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Rapidly expanding access to its personalized digital care platform to those who need it most, including highest-risk members
USAA
USAA announced on Monday a $1 million donation to San Antonio nonprofit organizations to support the community response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizations that help provide food, housing and other needed supplies will get some relief through the donation. Those organizations include the San Antonio Food Bank, the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, Meals on Wheels, Haven for Hope and the United Way of San Antonio.
Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed $25 million to support organizations on the front lines responding to the outbreak. The commitment is intended to provide:
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$5 million to support global efforts to help countries prevent, detect and manage the coronavirus
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$10 million to support food banks, school meal programs and organizations that provide access to food for underserved populations
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$10 million to support efforts in local communities in the United States and international markets
To serve their customers and support their workforce, Walmart is also adjusting store hours, lending their parking lots to mobile testing centers, and providing nearly $550 million through bonuses and salary advances to hourly and supply chain associates.
The Austin Lighthouse for the Blind
Austin Lighthouse for the Blind produces products such as hand sanitizers and soaps for brands including GOJO’s PURELL®. The organization has decided to increase its production on shipping lines, triple employee count on the lines, hire 20 additional temporary workers and invest $100,000 for more equipment at its facilities.
Cisco
Cisco introduced their new Business Resiliency Program, designed to help mitigate financial challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, this program includes $2.5 billion in financing to provide organizations with access to the solutions they need to keep their businesses running, productive, and their employees safe.
Concordia University Texas
Concordia University Texas offer their 120 single-occupancy rooms to first responders and other health care workers who are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing workers a free place to rest between shifts without fear of exposing their households to the virus.
Aunt Flow
Aunt Flow a solution to provide menstrual products for free to employees, students, and guests, have supported on these available products, 3PLY FDA-Approved Medical Masks, FDA certified Hand Sanitizer and currently working on shoe coverings/booties.
Whitmeyer's Distilling Co.
The owners/brothers of Whitmeyer’s Distilling Co. in Houston have turned their whiskey distillery into a hand-sanitizer operation. To date, they have donated over 25,000 gallons of hand sanitizer.
FeDex
Fred Smith, CEO, chairman, and founder of FedEx Corp has taken a 91% reduction in his base salary for the next six months, according to a document filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC).
Furlough Kitchen: ‘popup nonprofit’
Laid-off hospitality workers can receive a free pickup meal each day Monday through Saturday at Furlough Kitchen — a collaboration with Front Burner Restaurants, Vestals Catering in East Dallas, and CitySquare, a local nonprofit dedicated to ameliorating the effects of poverty.
Houston Athletes
Deshaun Watson and Carlos Correa are the latest Houston athletes to donate supplies and meals to local hospitals.
Austin CEO
Tom Banning's friend told him he had a shipment of 525,000 masks coming to Texas. Banning personally delivered 7,500 of them to doctors in Houston and Austin.
MLB Fanatics
Fanatics has suspended production on jerseys and is instead using the polyester mesh fabric to make masks and gowns for hospitals.
Magnolia Pharmacy
Magnolia Pharmacy in Magnolia, TX is set to produce and distribute free, non-commercial, compound hand sanitizer to first responders.
Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks Doncic and Powell
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Luka Dončić and Dwight Powell, along with the Dallas Mavericks Foundation, are teaming up to donate $500,000 towards childcare for healthcare employees.
Brookshire Grocery Co.
Brookshire’s, a Texas-based grocery store, has dedicated the first hour of operation, a five percent daily discount, and free curbside to seniors in the community.
SeaWorld San Antonio
SeaWorld the theme park donated a surplus of over 6,000 pounds of food, originally intended for guests and employees over spring break, which was picked up by the San Antonio Food Bank and be used to feed members of the community.
Closed Universities
Researchers and professors at colleges and universities in Central Texas are collecting personal protective equipment (PPE) from their science and medical labs to donate to local doctors and nurses who need it to protect themselves from COVID-19.
North Texas health-tech firms
VitalTech, a Plano startup is offering health systems, physicians and their patients free telehealth access through its VitalCare platform. With the feature, physicians and patients can connect for video chats, calls or messaging.
H-E-B
H-E-B is making a $3 million donation to nonprofit groups in rural parts of Texas, including Kerrville and the Hill Country, to help ensure that those who need it most can get the food they need to be delivered during the coronavirus pandemic.
Houston-area distillers
Gulf Coast Distillers Houston’s largest distillery will soon begin producing hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol to help meet surging demand.
Red Horn Coffee House & Brewery
Red Horn Coffee House & Brewery is also manufacturing hand sanitizer in large quantities for County and healthcare officials.
The Austin Couch Potatoes
The Austin Couch Potatoes furniture company is changing its industry for the time being — just so it can help the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.