A campaign launched last week to help some laid-off workers is off to a good start, but could use some more support.

The We Care Butler County campaign is a partnership between the Butler County Tourism Bureau, the Center for Community Resources and the Butler County Commissioners to put money in the pockets of laid-off employees in the hospitality industry.

Thus far, the campaign has raised more than $11,000 in donations that will eventually be divided and distributed in the form of VISA gift cards to help put presents under the trees of those in need as well as food on their tables.

“The idea is to get those dollars out before Christmas, so we can get money to those families,” said Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau.

Since the campaign launched last week, 15 restaurant employers have sought help for almost 500 employees who they had to lay off, according to Cohen.

“People are donating to this cause to try to help folks through the holidays,” Cohen said. “It's encouraging to see how many people have sent from $5 to $5,000. It's encouraging to see how much people care.”

Donations may be made on the tourism bureau's website at visitbutlercounty.com. The donations are being handled through foundations managed by the tourism bureau and CCR, but it will be the employers who will distribute the funds to their employees.

“For the employers, it gives them a boost to be able to turn around and provide them some help,” said County Commissioner Leslie Osche.

Osche said she and county officials have also worked to redirect distributed funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

She said some municipalities, such as Butler and Cranberry townships, have returned some of their latest CARES Act distributions.

So far, about $70,000 in returned CARES Act funding has been redirected to food banks and pantries in the area to help feed families of workers who have recently been laid off.

“I'm just grateful to everybody who worked quickly to make this happen and pull it together,” Osche said.

Cohen said the holiday season has always been the perfect time to help others, but this year that sentiment will be pushed to new heights.

“We're all human beings, and we know that our purpose on this earth is to make sure we're all taken care of,” Cohen said.

He said he hopes the registered employers will be able to hand their employees a card with at least $100 loaded onto it, but he would love to see more put on those cards. He said that's possible with more support.

“We're as a community stepping up,” Cohen said.

Osche said she anticipates more donations will be on the way in the coming weeks.

“For the hospitality industry, it's been so tough for them to suffer another blow,” she said. “We knew this community would; Butler County has always stepped up in the case of an emergency.”