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Supporting Baltimore City and its community has always been at the heart of Hotel Revival’s mission, so when the COVID-19 pandemic sent the economy spiraling, leaving business owners fighting for their livelihood, thousands without jobs, and first responders on the front-line day after day, the award-winning Joie de Vivre hotel felt compelled to offer support to those in need.

Representatives from Hotel Revival distribute bagged lunches to those in need in the Baltimore community. (Photo credit: Devin Allen)

From the former Square Meal restaurant space the hotel is offering to small food businesses without a brick and mortar location, to utilizing spaces no longer teeming with guests to assemble care packages and bagged lunches, and offering rooms no longer occupied by travelers to the City’s police officers and firefighters, the hotel is putting the community first.

“It is our obligation to do what we can to make a difference,” said Donte Johnson, general manager of Hotel Revival. “The community has supported our business in times of triumph, and we want to be there for them in times of turmoil.”

Recognizing value in banding together with others, Hotel Revival has partnered with marketing and events company Kiss Tomorrow Hello, local produce purveyors and the newly-established Baltimore Restaurant Relief Fund and the Baltimore Service Industry Fund to serve those in need.

The following is a list of the hotel’s recent efforts:

  • Pop-Up & Pick-Up: On March 20, Hotel Revival and Kiss Tomorrow Hello released a call out to Baltimore small business food vendors with an opportunity to pop-up, rent free, in the hotel’s first-floor restaurant space. Since announcing the effort on social media, the hotel has received over 20 applications from small food businesses interested in utilizing the space for their needs.
  • Care Packages: On March 25, the hotel offered care packages containing supplies and fresh produce from Coastal Sunbelt Produce and Hungry Harvest to individuals in the hospitality industry who have been laid off.
  • Bagged Lunches: On March 27, Hotel Revival assembled and gave away over 500 brown bag lunches to the community at large. The lunch bags contained fruit from Coastal Sunbelt Produce, as well as a sandwich, chips, a cookie and bottled water provided by the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Topside.
  • Additionally, on Saturday, April 4 from 12-3 p.m., the hotel gave away free produce donated by Coastal Sunbelt Produce and Hungry Harvest, as well as bagged lunches provided by Topside, featuring tomato soup, a single serving of casserole, fruit, a cookie and bottled water to those in the community in need.
  • Free rooms for military personnel, police officers and firefighters: The hotel is offering free stays to military personnel, police officers and firefighters.

“We want to care for first responders, healthcare professionals, small businesses, and those who’ve been impacted by these hard times, as we are all in this together,” Johnson remarked. “It’s our goal to emerge with strength on the other side of this crisis – and to support our community along the way.”

Hotel Revival continues to coordinate efforts to gather and distribute essential items including food and toiletries for those in need. Stay updated on Hotel Revival’s efforts via its Instagram: @revivalbaltimore.

Serving as a good corporate and community partner is not new for Hotel Revival. The hotel is committed to being a space that is inclusive and welcoming to all. Hotel Revival’s social impact efforts have included curated programming and events such as educational workshops, interesting conversations, art pop-ups and spirit-free cocktails.