Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy is transforming the “Barstool Fund” into a permanent charity.
In December, Portnoy created the Barstool Fund as he watched small businesses crumble under government-imposed lockdowns.
“I’ve been ranting and raving lately about the plight of small business in the United States,” he said in an “emergency press conference” video posted to social media. “New York City just shut down indoor dining. It’s like, how do you expect these people to survive? How are restaurants going to survive? They’re already on their last legs and you’re pulling the plug on them, and nobody seems to care in the government.”
Introducing The Barstool Fund
If you are a small business that needs help staying in business because of covid email us your story to [email protected]. We will try to help as many people as we can. pic.twitter.com/9BS8HeyHaq
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 17, 2020
Though the group has slowed donations over the past several months as officials scrapped COVID-19 mitigation efforts, Portnoy desires to continue supporting American entrepreneurship.
“We’ve decided to turn The Barstool Fund into a full-time charity,” said Portnoy on his Instagram page. “Something that will be existing not only during COVID, and hopefully COVID doesn’t come back… but [for] decades and making positive impacts for entrepreneurs, which I truly believe are the backbone of the United States.”
“We’ve done something very special, very unique, and we’ve created a brand and a name that people trust,” he added. “They know that when you donate to The Barstool Fund, we’ll get the money and get it to small businesses instantly.”
The Barstool Fund — which has raised nearly $42 million to aid 443 small businesses — is seeking a full-time director with experience in running nonprofits.
Several large cities throughout the United States are returning to stricter regulations amid a surge in the COVID-19’s Delta variant and some are introducing vaccine passport-like measures.
For instance, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a “Key to NYC Pass,” which will require proof of vaccination for citizens to solicit indoor dining, gyms, and performances. As de Blasio described: “If you want to participate in our society fully, you’ve got to get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reinstated a mask mandate for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals within indoor public settings.
“Wearing a mask indoors with others reduces the risk of both getting & transmitting the virus,” said the agency’s Twitter page. “We’re requiring masking for everyone while indoors at public settings & businesses, regardless of vaccination status so that we can stop the increased level of transmission we’re seeing.”