NYC on the Cheap - Newest Freebies & Deals for First Responders, Health/Medical Workers & Other Frontline Heroes

Companies continue to offer special freebies and discounts for food, clothing and travel to our medical and law enforcement Frontline Heroes.

Most deals extend to all hospital staff and first responders including police, firefighters, EMTs, even helicopter pilots. Teachers and military are eligible for some of the offers.

Continued thanks to all the businesses and groups offering FREE and discounted products and services to frontline health and medical workers, first responders and other heroes who have taken care of us these last 19 difficult months - and who continue to do so.

Thanks to all our essential worker heroes, including those who deliver our mail, deliver our food, protect our buildings as doormen and superintendents, and all those stock store shelves and check-out registers.

New York City’s astounding Hometown Heroes Ticker Tape Parade in the summer of 2021 reminds us how much we all owe them - and continue to owe them.

Some of these frontline deals require proof of eligibility, either through emailed documentation or verification via a service like ID.me or SheerID.

If you’ve been involved at all in helping curb the pandemic, it’s worth looking into these deals below to see if you qualify for special savings.

Even if you are not eligible for these offers, you might want to make note of the brand names and say thanks by purchasing their products and services.

NYC on the Cheap has been

updating and republishing this list

every few weeks since March 2020.

Let us know about a company or deal we missed.

Email us at [email protected]

to be included in the next update.

Discounts and Freebies in New York City

Carnegie Hall

First responders, veterans, and active-duty members of the US Military get a 30% discount on all Carnegie Hall presentations.

Tickets are available with valid identification at the Box Office.

Citibike and Lyft

The two companies have joined forces to provide a NYC Medical Workers Program, which provides free 60 day memberships to public & private hospital employees, including custodial workers & other support staff.

National Freebies & Deals - Shoes & Apparel

Adidas

Medical professionals, first responders and members of the military all get 30% off purchases. Professional verification is required via ID.me.

Allbirds

The company ended its program of discounts in July 2021, after supplying more than 50,000 pairs of Wool Runners to healthcare professionals in need, through direct donations and a buy-one-give-one program.

Asics

Medical professionals and first responders get 60% off any full-priced product. You must first create an Asics account using your professional email.

BikeBerry

Ended on Dec. 31, 2021

10% discount program for healthcare workers or bicycles, bike kits, e-bikes and accessories.

Crocs

Thanks to Crocs, which has given away 860,000 FREE pair of their ultra-comfortable footwear to Frontline Heroes since March 2020.

Although the giveaway program has ended, you can find out about the program and Crocs products here

Dagne Dover

Health care workers, teachers and members of the military all get 20% off Dagne Dover’s collection of chic, high-quality bags, backpacks and wallets.

Danform Shoes

Health care workers can use the code SUPERHERO20 for 20% off online footwear purchases.

Ear Savers

Ear Savers make wearing a mask all day more comfortable, as it alleviates the pressure and friction on the face and ears. Frontline workers can get them for FREE.

Individual orders are not being accepted. However, a verified healthcare worker can request hundreds for hospital or clinic use. Click here for more information.

Gloves.com

Ended on Dec. 31, 2021

Healthcare workers including medical researchers, technologists and technicians, flight nurses and hospital medical pilots, get an extra 15% off storewide, with no minimum purchase. Use GLOVESTRAV15 to get the discount.

Nike

First responders and medical professionals (including technicians and researchers) get a discount on most items on Nike’s website.

Nike has reduced it’s original 20% discount to just 10%, so you could probably do better on the sale rack of your favorite store.

The discount can be used up to four times per month, and Nike uses SheerID to verify employment status.

The North Face

The clothing and outdoor gear company no longer offering discounts up to 50% off to frontline workers on nonsale items, both online and in retail stores.

But there’s a new program, called XPLR Pass, for a 10% discount, and perks including members-only fiend testing.

You must register with SheerID to confirm your eligibility, then receive a single-use promo code for use online only.

Tortuga Backpacks

Tortuga Backpacks, an online retailer of light-weight expandable travel backpacks, is offering a 20% discount for first responders only, including EMTs, firefighters and police.

Contact [email protected] for your coupon code. You must include verification by using your official email account or including ID or other documentation.

Reebok

First responders, teachers, nurses and military all get substantial discounts, with no item exceptions. You must verify your status with ID.me.

Reebok has reduced its original discount from 40% to 15% - which is still better than the 10% discount from Nike.

Reebok also extends the same discount to students with a verified student ID.

Under Armour

First responders, health care professionals and educators has doubled its discount from 10% to 20% off all purchases after verifying your employment with ID.me.

Under Armour also extends the discount to active and retired military and their families.

Check the the full details here.

Vineyard Vines

Medical professionals in a broad list of categories including pharmacists and physical therapists get 15% off their orders.

A professional ID is required, and it will take one to two hours to be approved and receive your discount code.

Health and Wellness Products & Services

Care.com

Program ended. There is no more information on the website.

Frontline workers get a month of free premium access to care for kids, aging parents and pets.

Sittercity

Program has ended.

All those working on the front lines of the crisis are eligible for three free months of Sittercity Premium, which connects families with trusted child care.

Talkspace

Program has ended.

Talkspace was giving doctors, nurses and social workers free access to the therapy app’s unlimited messaging plan.

When that program ended, it offered increased access to licensed therapists and providing free resources for both existing users and those who haven’t tried the service. That program also has ended.

Theragun

Theragun sells high-end percussive therapy devices providing intense vibrating massage meant to help with muscle recovery. Eligible health care workers can get 20% off devices.

In addition to the discounts, the company has donated more than 300 devices to hospitals.

Yeti

The popular water bottles and insulated coolers are 30% off to all first responders verified through ID.me.

Yeti extends the discount to military, also with a verified ID.

National Freebies and Deals - Food & Drink

Home Chef

The meal kit delivery service continues to offer discounts for medical personnel, first responders, military and teachers.

The discount WAS 50% off your first order, a maximum discount is $60 per sale, and subsequent orders will be discounted by 10%, but we don’t know what it is now because the website no longer publishes that information up front.

The discount will pop up after verification is completed using ID.me.

National Freebies and Deals - Travel & Transportation

Airbnb

Discount program ended for Essential Workers in mid-2021.

BP and Amoco

Information about a discount has been removed from the website, so first responders, doctors, nurses and other hospital workers no longer get a discount of up to 10 cents a gallon at BP and Amoco stations.

Choice Hotels

There is no more information on the company website about discounts for essential health care workers, first responders, transit employees and more, so we have to assume the program has ended.

Greyhound

‘Rides for Responders’ continues to provide two free one-way tickets to any doctor, nurse, paramedic, EMT, medical technician, firefighter, member of law enforcement or mortician volunteering and needing to travel to a volunteer site by utilizing its existing Road Rewards program.

Those looking to take advantage of the tickets can visit the program’s website and follow the simple instructions.

After signing up for Road Rewards and providing the necessary information, Greyhound will deposit the tickets into the member’s account in approximately 72 hours.

Holland America Line

Discounts ended on Dec. 31, 2021

The cruise line is honoring members of the U.S. military with a special offer that adds $100 Onboard Spending Money to any cruise booking that departs from San Diego, California. The credit can be used for shore excursions, spa treatments, beverages, specialty dining, gift shop purchases and more.

Holland America Line’s San Diego sailings are especially convenient for the many troops stationed in southern California. The Military Appreciation Offer — available to active and retired members of the military — can be earned on a variety of seven-day cruises to Mexico and the California Coast aboard Koningsdam and a 10-day Mexico Holiday departure on Zuiderdam,

The U.S. military has a large presence in San Diego with Naval Base San Diego, the U.S. Navy’s largest base on the West Coast and the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet. In total, the state of California has 32 military bases across all branches, with the Navy’s and Marine Corps’ bases clustered most heavily around San Diego.

Radisson Hotels

The 20% discount and automatic upgrade for emergency service workers including police, firefighters, doctors, and nurses has been discontinued.

However, the 20% off and an upgrade to the best available room at check-in for active-duty and retired military remains in effect. Check the Military 1st Program for specific information..

This offer is available at all Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson hotels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Wyndham Hotels

All essential workers — including health care workers, delivery drivers, grocery clerks and more — get a free instant membership upgrade to Gold status.

The offer is extended to truck drivers, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, construction workers, sanitation workers, grocery associates, healthcare workers, and more.

Describe your job as an essential worker to receive your upgrade.

Help for NYC Restaurants, Bars and Delivery Workers

More than twenty of New York City’s top restaurant groups have banded together to form a new hospitality organization called Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants (ROAR)

The goal, according to Eater NY, is to organize relief efforts for laid off personnel and closed restaurants.

Founding members include chef Daniel Boulud’s the Dinex Group, Momofuku, Starr Restaurants, and Major Food Group, fast casual chain Dig, restaurateur Gabriel Stulman’s Happy Cooking Hospitality, Eataly, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurant group, chef JJ Johnson’s casual enterprise FieldTrip, and more.

These groups also are helping support NYC restaurants, including our favorite local neighborhood joints.

You are invited to donate to support them.

Thanks to Eater NY for this list. It’s a menu of choices.

Dining Bond Initiative

Like government-issued war bonds, the Dining Bond Initiative seeks to bring in immediate cash in exchange for future restaurant purchases.

Diners can buy gift certificates sold at a 25 percent discount ($100 worth of food for a $75 bond) to be redeemed in the restaurant within the next month or two, depending on how individual restaurants decide to honor the bonds. The program is open to all restaurants.

James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund

The JBF Food and Beverage Relief Fund is gathering donations from everyday diners as well as corporate donors to distribute micro-grants to independent businesses.

Southern Smoke Foundation

Houston chef Chris Shepherd’s Southern Smoke Foundation is accepting donations from well-wishers and applications for funds from restaurants and restaurant employees.

Give Local and Local for Later

Give Local and Local for Later are aggregating lists of restaurants promoting gift card sales while their doors are closed. Many restaurants are banking on gift cards to help defer costs until the pandemic subsides.

World Central Kitchen

Chef José Andrés and WCK have already been pitching in on coronavirus relief, feeding quarantined cruise ship passengers, but the organization’s chefs need financial help to continue preparing meals for those in need during the crisis.

Help for Restaurant and Delivery Workers

Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation

The RWCF, which works across a number of labor issues in the restaurant industry, launched the RWCF COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

The fund collects donations to provide relief to individual workers affected by the coronavirus and to create zero-interest loans to businesses.

One Fair Wage

The OFW campaign, a nonprofit advocating against sub-minimum-wage laws for tipped restaurant workers, launched the OFW Emergency Fund.

The target $213,000 (based on the federal tipped minimum wage of $2.13/hour) will provide immediate cash assistance to restaurant employees, delivery workers, and other tipped workers in the food industry.

Unite Here Education and Support Fund

Unite Here, a labor union representing groups in the U.S. and Canada, is collecting funds to help its 300,000 members with things like rent, groceries, health insurance, and lost wages.

The union represents other industries beyond food service, including hotels, airports, and casinos, but you can select a specific local group if you prefer to target your money to particular restaurant industry workers.

ROC Disaster Relief Fund

The nonprofit Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United has set a target of $500,000 for its emergency relief fund, which seeks to help documented and undocumented restaurant workers who lose their jobs during the pandemic.

Spill The Dish

Spill The Dish offers a database of financial aid that combines donor funds with resources from government agencies and non-profits.

It allows users to search by state, and breaks down results for restaurant workers, business owners, and individual donors. Users can also add new donation programs to the database.

Help for Bars and Bartenders

USBG Bartender Emergency Assistance Program

The United States Bartenders Guild is helping bartenders affected by the virus through its emergency assistance program.

Jameson Irish Whiskey has pledged $500,000 toward the effort.

SipScience, an analytics company focused on the hospitality industry, has also launched a GoFundMe to raise $100,000 for the USBG National Charity Foundation.

This list was published originally in March 2020 and updated periodically, most recently July 2021.

Evelyn Kanter is a native New Yorker who has written for the NY Times, NY Daily News, NY Post, New York Magazine, and is a former on-air reporter for WCBS Newsradio 88 and WABC-TV Eyewitness News.