Campaign for Southern Equality aims to help LGBTQ community during the COVID-19 crisis
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Making ends meet during a public health crisis and the hardships of COVID-19 hit some communities harder than others.
A mountain non-profit organization geared toward helping LGBTQ people has gone into rapid response mode, doing its part to pitch-in.
This includes supporting members of the local workforce, such as Crain Jackson, a non-binary hairstylist who works at Union Hill Salon in West Asheville.
"My whole job is to touch peoples' heads and faces," Jackson said.
Ten years worth of experience made them a small business owner, until the coronavirus came along.
"Because I have asthma, you know, a little extra scared of COVID-19, and so I actually stopped going into work, it was 20 days, this is my 20th day in quarantine," Jackson said.
Asheville-based Campaign for Southern Equality works on programs across the south that promote equality.
"We prioritize LGBTQ people, people of color, non-binary, trans people are always the first on our list," said Allison Scott, director of policy and programs with the non-profit.
She says they are ready to open up the second round of rapid response grants that will help those hit hardest by the current pandemic.
"We know that these groups are impacted at a much higher margin when things go bad like COVID-19, when joblessness spikes, health care, access to health care," Scott said.
Round one started April 1 and in just just 24 hours,100-dollar checks were being written for each person who qualified.
That amount may sound small to some, but for hair stylist Jackson, out of work and isolated, it's a something they can really use right now.
Jackson said they're applying for the grant first thing April 6.
"Since I'm one who's a small business owner now, who now hasn't been able to work for almost a month, and is truly terrified of where my next everything is coming from, 100 bucks means a whole lot to me," Jackson said.
For more information on the COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant, visit the application site by clicking here.