Local Clothing Company Holding Fundraiser For Struggling Businesses

A Tulsa T-Shirt company is helping local businesses, artists and musicians struggling because of the pandemic through a fundraiser.  

The "Rising Tide Fundraiser" gave thousands of dollars to businesses last year. 

When everything was closed last spring, Flash Flood Print Studios wanted to help meet a need by doing what they do best.  

"We were just really inspired to try to help the community in whatever way we could, which is printing shirts,” Krista Mustain said.  

Mustain is the production manager at the studio. She said the team printed more than 1,000 shirts for struggling businesses, artists and musicians. 

People could support their favorites for a limited time online for $25 per shirt. Flash Flood Print Studios gave $10 from each shirt sold back to those people and businesses in need. 

Throughout 2020, the T-shirt company said it was able to give away a more than $13,000 through its Rising Tide Fundraiser.  

"It was very beneficial at a time when nothing was happening,” The Whittier Bar Co-Owner Nick Flores said.  

The Whittier Bar is one of about 50 businesses that received help. Flores said he was able to give his employees about $100 each, an example of how one local business made a difference for so many others before federal help came along.  

"In the Tulsa community, I feel like our small business community is very tight-knit,” he said. 

Aside from The Whittier Bar, the Bobby Pin salon and Jo and June Vintage also benefitted from the fundraiser, just to name a few in the Kendall Whittier neighborhood.  

"This neighborhood has a really strong network and connection,” Mustain said.  

Mustain said they are ready to build on that strong connection into 2021. The goal is to help 25 businesses this time around, doing what they can to help those struggling because of the pandemic.  

"The benefit of helping the community far outweighed, you know, the cut, so we decided to just go for it,” she said.  

To apply, visit Flash Flood Print Studios’ Instagram account here.