West Cairo’s Arkan Plaza is reopening for a good cause by inviting guests to cruise through the development’s parking lot as a part of a drive-thru charity, whereas all donations will be directed to workers relying mostly on tips for income, Invest-Gate reports.

The initiative, which is led by Arkan Plaza’s property manager Savills Egypt, is aimed at collecting donations to provide to help all food and beverage (F&B) staff, who depend mostly on tips for income and are now struggling throughout the pandemic, according to a press release on May 31.

“Guests can drive into the parking lot drop their donation (cash) into the drive-thru donation box and leave without having to pay for parking, as long as the process does not take more than 15 minutes … The goal is to be able to provide all employees with an amount that would substitute the tips lost until the COVID-19 situation is resolved,” read the statement, noting that Arkan Plaza’s developer El Badr Group is also donating all of Ramadan’s parking revenue to the same cause.

On his part, Marketing and Business Development Director at Savills Egypt Tamer Elfiky remarked, “This pandemic has affected us all, especially the service industry and those who count on their monthly wages and tips for their day-to-day living. This creative initiative is the result of our hard work and efforts with El Badr team to look at innovative ways to adapt to the current situation and implement solutions that can curb as much as possible the impact of the crisis.”

Managing Director of El Badr Ahmad Badreldin added, “Arkan Plaza’s success throughout the years is attributed to the community in which we operate, whether that is our daily guests, our tenants, or the wonderful staff and service providers at our various outlets. In these trying times, we must support one another to make sure we make it past this dilemma stronger and more compassionate towards one another.”

Located in a strategic location in Sheikh Zayed, Arkan Plaza has been operating throughout the COVID-19 crisis, yet under the government’s health and safety restrictions. “Offices, banks, and other services such as medical labs and pharmacies have remained open to the public as they are all essential services that contribute to supporting the Egyptian economy in this emergency situation.”