Demand for hotel rooms and campsites by tourists has plummeted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but service-minded hoteliers have found a new way to assist their communities.

Across the country, proprietors of all kinds have stepped up to provide lodging to first responders—primarily healthcare workers—so they can rest between shifts while not potentially exposing their family members at home to the coronavirus. And, for those working extra long shifts, a nearby hotel room can offer respite without a long drive home.

Over 17,000 hotels have joined the Hospitality for Hope Initiative, a project launched by the American Hotel & Lodging Association to connect healthcare workers with vacant rooms. That’s over 3.4 million hotel rooms—most of them located near healthcare facilities—that have been made available so far.

“As an industry of people taking care of people, the hotel industry is uniquely positioned to support and help strengthen our communities and first responders who are on the frontlines of dealing with this ongoing public health crisis,” Chip Rogers, the president and CEO of the AHLA, said in a statement.

Among the more recognized brands that have volunteered to provide free rooms to medical professionals and other front-line workers are Marriott, Hilton, the Four Seasons, American Express, and JPMorgan Chase. Many local establishments, like the Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort in Traverse City, Michigan, have stepped up, as well.

“Knowing that there is a safe, clean, and comfortable hotel room waiting for you at the end of a long shift can make all the difference in the world right now,” Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, told Fox Business. “The kind of compassion and caring that Hilton and American Express are offering has never been more welcome.”

But the generosity hasn’t been limited to hotels. A growing Facebook community, RVs 4 MDs to Fight the Corona Virus, was launched to connect RV owners willing to lend a space to healthcare workers in need.

“I think this is just a really good way for the community to say, ‘we see you, we see what you’re doing, here’s some help to give you peace of mind when you need it most,’” said RVs 4 MDs volunteer Melissa Leymon.

Now operating in all 50 states, the online community matches healthcare workers with borrowed RVs so they can go “home” after work without risking infecting family members. And, for traveling healthcare workers who’ve left their hometowns or states to serve communities at greater risk, the RVs can provide a quiet and safe retreat. 

For many, the opportunity to provide a place for healthcare workers and first responders to stay is one way to give back.

“It is our obligation to do what we can to make a difference,” Donte Johnson, general manager of The Hotel Revival in Baltimore, said in a statement. “The community has supported our business in times of triumph, and we want to be there for them in times of turmoil.”