MARION (WSIL) -- During these difficult times many communities are stepping up to help their neighbors.
The owners of Crown Brew Coffee Company have created an event named "Marion United" in order to help local businesses who are struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"Marion United is a live stream benefit event to really bring the community together via live stream and generate funds for local businesses here in Marion," explained Jared Gravatt, co-owner of Crow Brew Coffee.
"I was thinking of how whenever there's a natural disaster, a lot of times they'll have like a telethon benefit concert on the television where people can call and donate that way. I thought, why not do the same thing but just do it locally here."
The goal is to raise at least $100,000, and Gravatt says they are already over halfway there. "Our hope in this whole event is that other towns will see this as a successful model and do the same thing for their communities."
The event isn't just helping businesses but also supporting local musicians and artists who are out of work.
"I have friends who that's all they do for an income is tour, who have babies and wives and that's their full support. This is really important for that kind of thing as well," says singer and songwriter Jeremy T. McConaughey.
McConaughey says if nothing else, the event brings hope.
"It's easy when we're financially bogged down, or isolated to one place, to just kind of give up and be like, you know, this is the worst. I think hope is really something that everyone needs to be given right now."
The event will be streamed live from the 6 - 10 p.m. this Friday, April 3. During the event there will be multiple ways to donate. For more information, click .
