Doing the right thing. Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz are doing everything they can to make sure their TomTom employees are taken care of as the restaurant remains closed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Sandoval, 36, announced via his Instagram on Monday, March 23, that he and Schwartz, 37, are now on Cameo in an effort to raise money for their workers. “Millions of people in the restaurant industry are out of work bc of #covıd19 including our @tomtom Family, @twschwa and I are donating 100% of our earnings from cameo to our TomTom Staff & matching the amount up to $10,000!!” he captioned a video clip. “Book ur @cameo today and get a personalized message from the #2toms !! -❤️LINK IN BIO ❤️-Thank u so much everyone! Stay safe! We love u! #pumprules.”
In the accompanying video, the duo explained a little bit more about their decision to join the popular app, which allows fans to purchase greetings from their favorite stars for a price. “We’re here for a very good reason,” Sandoval said. “With COVID-19 there’s been so many people out of work, so many people in dire situations and people are stuck.”
“I think something like, 7 million people, are currently out of work,” Schwartz added, noting that TomTom employees are now among the unemployed.
Sandoval said many of the bar’s employees live check-to-check, which is why the twosome is recording Cameos and charging $150 a pop. “We came on here to Cameo for a reason, and that is to raise money for our amazing staff,” he declared. “Also, because we are asking you to give, we are going to give ourselves. We are going to match everything that you donate up to $10,000.”
The co-owners then encouraged fans to send in requests. “Exploit us!” they quipped.
This charitable move from the Vanderpump Rules duo comes a week after they were forced to shutter TomTom in accordance with advice from Los Angeles officials hoping to contain the virus. “It saddens us to have to do this, but with the advisement of the government and local authorities, we have closed our restaurants until further notice,” the pair said in a statement shared on the TomTom Instagram page at the time. “These are scary times right now, but nothing is more important than the health and safety of our employees and guests.”
The Toms also encouraged people to “social distance themselves” and added: “We hope everyone does their utmost to fight this. Together we will get through this and come out stronger on the other side. Keep following us for updates and we hope we can welcome you back again soon.”
Authorities in several states (and across the globe) have mandated the closure of restaurants and bars or restricted them to take-out orders only. Concerts, musical festivals and major sporting events have also been put on hold in order to slow down the spread of the illness, which has infected more than 380,000 people worldwide and killed more than 17,000.
Given the constantly evolving nature of COVID-19, Us Weekly wants our readers to have access to the most accurate resources. For the most up-to-date coronavirus information, guidance, and support, consult the CDC, WHO, and information from local public health officials. If you’re experiencing coronavirus symptoms, call your primary care provider for medical advice.
