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To Denver, With Love: Online photo campaign to help restaurant workers

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Posted at 5:18 PM, Mar 06, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-06 19:43:54-05

DENVER -- They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but on ToDenverWithLove.com, each picture is worth $3.03.

"It doesn't cost anybody anything but a little pride in showing off a great moment at your favorite restaurant," Kevin Bryla, the chief marketing officer for SpotOn, said Saturday.

The retail software company helps restaurants function. Now, the company is giving back -- one photo at a time. That's $3.03 for each photo of someone's favorite moment at a restaurant that's uploaded and approved on its Living Love Wall, a virtual mosaic.

"This is just our small effort, and we hope we can help rally Denver around it to help feed the people that are always feeding us when they need it most," Bryla said.

The company will make the donations to the restaurant tagged in each photo, up to $10,000, and the Colorado Restaurant Foundation's Angel Relief Fund, up to $10,000.

"This is going to be hugely impactful. People can use the financial support for all kinds of things," Laura Shunk, president of the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, said.

Last year, the foundation's fund issued 3,200 grants to struggling restaurant workers, including those ill with COVID-19. And despite easing restrictions and increasing indoor capacities, restaurants are still struggling.

"March 16th is going to mark a year since the first shutdown for restaurants, so, obviously, we've got employees that are still in dire straits," Shunk said.

That's why every donation counts. All it takes is one picture.

"Just because we're starting to see some positive opening doesn't mean the crisis is over for them," Bryla said.

Since starting the campaign earlier in the week, Bryla says ToDenverWithLove.com has received hundreds of submissions. The company expects to keep the campaign open for the next few weeks.