Since COVID-19 made its way to Texas and governments enacted stay at home orders and special laws for business, we haven’t closed our doors. We took special care and extra precautions to keep our staff and customers safe.
On Monday, April 27, 2020, Governor Abbott decided to initiate the reopening of Texas starting May 1st. We don’t agree with this decision and believe he is actually unconcerned with the health and well being of the majority of the citizens and folks who currently reside in Texas.
We understand the current political climate, and given the direct ties between Governor Abbott and Donald Trump, we cannot trust the governor’s judgment at this time. Because of this, we have come to the difficult decision to halt our service temporarily. We feel that at this time, we should take a two-week break to allow our staff to rest and do our part to help lessen the curve. Our team will continue to be paid throughout this time.
The last month and a half has felt like a full sprint from the moment our community went into lockdown. We adapted to the fast-changing laws that would change almost daily and prepared our small staff to continue working as safely as possible under these new circumstances. However, the decision to step back is based on an ethical dilemma: Do we continue to comply and open at 25% and potentially expose our staff to a higher risk of exposure? What if one of our customers contracts COVID-19? Do we continue to use products that medical facilities are more in need of than us? Are we willing to be the guinea pigs for corporate America?
Our mission has always been to provide nutritious, sustainable food, and hold an inclusive, safe space for our community. However, in these decisive times, we are simply not willing to pick money over lives. We hope our community understands our decision and we encourage you to continue supporting La B during our hiatus.
You can continue to support us through making donations at our Cash App or Paypal. You can also purchase a virtual gift card.
We hope that y’all remain safe and vigilant out there, and we will see y’all soon again.
Sana Sana Vibes,
-Rebel and the La Botanica Team