We formed the LIFE Fund to support local businesses and feed the healthcare workers and first responders on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis.

Through the generous contributions of donors to date, the LIFE Fund has ordered and scheduled over 1,000 meals to over 15 hospitals and clinics!

1. You make a tax-deductible donation to the LIFE Fund.

2. The LIFE Fund purchases food from a locally-owned restaurant, bakery, or food manufacturer.

3. Those meals are then delivered to nourish the medical professionals and first responders working on COVID-19 relief efforts.

Would your healthcare or first responder group like to receive meals? FILL OUT THIS FORM
Would your restaurant like to deliver meals? FILL OUT THIS FORM

We are watching as friends and family members in healthcare are dealing with the novel coronavirus crisis head-on. Their exposure is growing with time, and they’re risking their own safety and health to keep us safe and healthy through the pandemic.   

While the COVID-19 health crisis is scary on its own, the impact of drastic drops in business on local restaurants and the jobs they support is becoming an economic disaster  

Chances are, you’re already aware that the businesses you care about most are run by local and independent small business owners who help to form the cultural fabric of our communities. In fact, during other disasters, local businesses are the ones who quickly step up to help us. Whether through sponsorship for an event or support for a charitable endeavor, they've always been there for us. Now, we must step up for them.    

Your contribution to the LIFE Fund will help fight the coronacrisis on two fronts: Your dollars work double-duty by supporting local businesses while nourishing our health and safety workers on the frontlines. We will make it through this the way we did through Hurricane Harvey, the Tax Day Floods, and every other crisis before: By Working Together. 

• How are you making sure that it’s safe? 

All food that will be delivered will be packaged as individual meals. No catering trays and large dishes to be shared. Even pizza will be individually sliced and packaged. This is critical.   

• How much are you spending on each meal? 

We are paying ~$10/meal for individually bundled meals in delivery bundles of at least 25 orders.  Having substantial orders to justify deliveries is a primary goal. Although 3rd party meal delivery apps are offering a necessary service right now (and some are deferring a portion of fees until later), they’re still taking up to 30% of each ticket. We’d prefer that these funds stay in the businesses.   

And while we could negotiate a better rate per meal to help stretch your contributions further, that would be off target for us. We're purposefully setting a reasonable, standard price so that each restaurant can plan appropriately and make enough margin off of each meal to keep their staff employed and their lights on.

• How soon will you be distributing funds to businesses? 

We're delivering now, and we'll continue to do so as long as the funding lasts.

• How will you select businesses to participate? 

Generally, we will be selecting locally-owned businesses that would like to participate. Businesses need to clearly represent that they are taking proper safety precautions and that they can provide a mix of meals for different requests.  If we are connected with a business that doesn't fit our profile, we will happily refer them to our partners that are conducting similar programs.

Would your restaurant like to participate and deliver meals? FILL OUT THIS FORM

• How will you select which places to send food to? 

We have a list of hospitals, clinics, and non-profits we are working with, and we're open to requests and suggestions.

Would your healthcare or first responder group like to receive meals? FILL OUT THIS FORM

• Is this donation tax-deductible? 

Yes.  By working with Impact Hub Houston through their Fiscal Sponsorship program, NextSeed ensures that individuals can make a tax-deductible donation to the LIFE Fund.

Focused on driving social change by accelerating entrepreneurial solutions, Impact Hub Houston is a 501(c)3 organization and is the fiscal sponsor for this program. All contributions to this campaign will be made directly to Impact Hub Houston and pushed out to businesses directly.   

• What percentage of our contributions will be going to these businesses? 

Approximately 94% of proceeds contributed will be directed to the businesses and their staff directly. Between credit card processing fees and administration of the non-profit for your tax deduction, we expect that we can cover it with ~6% of proceeds.  You can also add on a tip with your donation to cover the processing fees to help ensure more of your dollars go straight to the businesses. To be absolutely clear, NextSeed is committed to not take any portion of the proceeds.

When you donate to an organization or restaurant who has set up a Team within the LIFE Fund, 80% of the funds you donate will go towards that group or restaurant. Of the remainder, again, roughly ~6% helps to cover fees and ~14% goes into the general LIFE Fund pool to be distributed to other restaurants and food companies.

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