Community Comes Together #AtHomeInBCS

street level view of businesses in downtown bryan — Groups across the Brazos Valley are working to support restaurants and retailers in Bryan and College Station during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sam Craft/Texas A&M Division of Marketing & Communications

With recent directives to stay apart, coming together as a community has taken on a new meaning. Locally, an innovative initiative called “#AtHomeInBCS” has created a collaborative effort to maintain a sense of community while being at home during these unique times.

Leading the cause are groups from across the region, including Experience Bryan College Station, the Downtown Bryan Association, the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce, the Brazos Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the cities of Bryan and College Station. The hope is to provide a single platform that helps support local restaurants and retailers while celebrating our local community heroes.

Here’s a look at how the effort is helping:

A new website* offers details about virtual events, dining information, new business hours and more.
The long-running First Friday event in Downtown Bryan has returned with a mix of virtual and in-person art and music events.
The Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce has launched an online video series featuring interviews from local business owners, as well as a Chamber Chat series focusing on news and important issues affecting these businesses.
A collaborative community video effort called “Thank You BCS Heroes” offers ongoing praise and gratitude for frontline and essential workers.

Fundraising efforts across the region exemplify the care and compassion of those who call Bryan-College Station home. The following are two such efforts:

The Brazos Valley COVID-19 Community Relief Fund, led by The United Way of the Brazos Valley, has granted $731,030 to go toward 12 non-profits and 114 small businesses. To donate, text BVCOVID19 to 4-1-4-4-4 or follow the instructions online.
Downtown Bryan restaurants continue to help withBrazos Feed It Forward. To date, the community’s donations have purchased more than $100,000-worth of food and meals for frontline workers in the B-CS community.

As the community continues to come together, business owners are doing their part to restore customer confidence and get “Recovery Ready.” Those taking the pledge to be “Recovery Ready” receive a kit that promotes the best practices each business has voluntarily agreed to follow for the purpose of doing business in a safe and healthy environment. Digital logos, a window decal, a yard sign and a placard show which businesses have committed to the cause.

How can you help? Use the hashtag #athomeinBCS on social media when using B-CS goods and services at home. For more information, visit AtHomeInBCS.com*.

* This link is no longer active and has been removed.