Brittany Scharr Just Keeps Giving
As a former restaurant worker, Brittany Scharr was well aware of how Pennsylvania’s pre-holiday restaurant lockdown was affecting waitstaff already smarting from previous interruptions in the industry.
So she came up with an idea to help: The Twelve Days Before Christmas.
Taking to social media, she commented on her Facebook page about a plan to raise money to make monetary gifts to servers and bartenders in the Media area during the last-minute holiday lockdown in mid-December. She set a tentative goal of $1,200. “I wanted to give away $100 on each of the twelve days leading up to Christmas. My plan was to help as many people as possible.”
The initiative took off. Donations came in from the Media area and beyond, allowing her to surprise more than 200 restaurant employees with $100 gifts, just before Christmas. Recruiting her mom and boyfriend as a film crew, she showed up unannounced and presented the gifts to waitstaff at Media’s Towne House, John’s Grill, Jack’s Tavern, La Padella, Azie, Iron Hill Brewery, and more. She posted the videos on Facebook and her story went viral.
“Media native Matt Toal from PHL17 was first to reach out,” she recalls. “6ABC Action News picked up the story for their Hometown Heroes segment. The next day ABC New York wanted it for their America Strong segment! I was online sending videos to Kathleen from ABC NY—they used some of what was online mixed with what I sent up.”
“Just wow! I was sending my vlogs and text to New York. I never ever expected that kind of recognition ever!”
And it isn’t just news media contacting her. She has had people reach out to her from across the U.S. and the world. A man in Salem, Massachusetts saw the World News Tonight broadcast and sent her a message. He wanted to do a similar program in Salem. She’s had messages from as far away as Australia.
“It’s become a full-time job,” Brittany admits. “I’d like to see it continue as 365 Days of Kindness, not just at Christmas but all year.”
Brittany’s fund continues to grow and most recently hit more than $26,000. “Thanks to an incredibly generous donation, we reached this goal in just hours,” she says. “This is community! I’m blown away!”
Now Brittany has created an account where she can display each individual surprise gifting and document donation updates as the fundraiser grows. “I will be busy!” she says.
The Delaware County Press Club is proud to welcome Brittany as an Honorary Club Member in recognition of her exceptional commitment to our community and her creative use of social media to extend her mission of caring.
See her Instagram updates at www.Instagram.com/365_daysofkindness.
To add a donation, visit the Go Fund Me page: https://gofund.me/7c86ed2b.