Tammi Fisher, CEO of Catalina Associates, has donated to No Kid Hungry and Direct Relief foundations in support of efforts combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. Here she shares her outlook on the effects of COVID-19, her motivation for donating, and staying the course as a small business owner during a pandemic.

What Has Affected Me the Most?

Aside from being quarantined, what has affected me the most is seeing how others are affected. My complaints are first world problems “My activity is limited, I can’t go to the gym…”. These “problems” are not real problems, but minor inconveniences. Think about the homeless community, what are they doing? How are they shielded from this?

How Serious is COVID-19?

I think it is a grave issue. It’s scary. People who are in-comprehensive of the severity of this pandemic are not or have not been directly affected by it. Before it made it to the U.S., I was concerned. How do you contain a nearly airborne sickness? We are so far behind as a nation, and it may get worse before it gets better. It has become a harsh reality where business owners are looking at the bottom line and becoming people who value money over lives. It is a sad reality.

How Donating Makes me Feel.

Empowered. I feel like everybody should do their part if they can. It makes everything worth it, to get to a point in business where you can help others. I often think about if roles were reversed, and if my family had been directly affected by it, and if we needed assistance. When donating, I get a sense of satisfaction, a sense of fulfillment. When you do something good for someone else or a good cause, it is significant; it means something.

What I Consider When Donating.

When donating, I mostly consider who it can help. My reasons for giving to Direct Relief and No Kid Hungry is how the donation is applied. 100% of the funds go directly to the charity. With No Kid Hungry, there is a strong realization of kids who do not have access to food or food is scarce in their household. There are so many different circumstances as to why families and children are suffering from food scarcity. Direct Relief provides a temporary solution to the lack of supplies and PPE shortage. These charities align with my values and values of my organization.

Advice for Other Small Businesses.

As cliché as it may sound, this too shall pass. I mean this in the best and most supportive way. Although our lives have been completely disrupted, and normalcy has been upended, I know there is light at the end of the tunnel. As a small business, this ordeal is not easy. Still, I know one way of supporting those in my professional community that has proven effective and a bit relieving, and that is by lending an ear. At this point, we are all in survival mode, and never in my life would I think of something this traumatic occurring. However, being a reliable partner in the business community, especially at this moment, has been more powerful than ever.