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The Spoon

Daily news and analysis about the food tech revolution

restaurant workers

How to Help Nashville Restaurant Workers Impacted by the Christmas Day Bombing

After an already devastating year (pandemic, tornadoes), the restaurant industry in Nashville, Tennessee experienced yet-another setback when a Christmas Day bombing took out dozens of businesses along the city’s Second Avenue, including multiple bars and restaurants. The alleged suicide bombing happened around 6:30 a.m. on Dec. 25 in Nashville’s popular downtown area. No other fatalities have been reported, and there were only a few minor injuries.

That said, damage to both physical space and people’s livelihoods was severe, especially for restaurants.

Restaurants workers already struggling from COVID-19-related shutdowns and restrictions now find themselves without a place to go to work and therefore without a job for the foreseeable future.

In response, many people have flocked to GoFundMe to set up and/or donate to pages for workers impacted by these sudden losses of restaurant jobs and businesses. Funds donated to these pages will go towards both the restaurants themselves and the employees impacted by the destruction.

So far:

This list will likely grow over the next several days, so be sure to check back for updates. If you’re a Spoon reader in Nashville that knows of a fundraising page on GoFundMe or another site for restaurants, drop us a line to let us know.

California Launches Meal Delivery Program to Feed Seniors and Aid Restaurants

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Friday the “Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Seniors” program, aimed at feeding vulnerable senior citizens while simultaneously giving more business to restaurants and their workers.

The meal delivery program, which is in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has two purposes, according to the state of California website:

  1. Help older and other adults at high risk from COVID-19 to stay home and stay healthy by delivering three nutritious meals a day, and
  2. Provide essential economic stimulus to local businesses and workers struggling to stay afloat during the COVID crisis.

The program is effective immediately. It will reimburse participating restaurants for three meals per day: up to $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch, and $28 for dinner.  

Gov. Newsom noted in a press conference at the end of last week that the program is aimed specifically at independent restaurants that are struggling or that have been forced to close because of the pandemic. “We want to get a lot of independent restaurants up and running again,” he said.

Participating restaurants will be selected by local governments. Their meals must adhere to certain nutritional guidelines and, ideally, use locally sourced ingredients.

Across the U.S. restaurant transactions are down and at least 3 percent of restaurants have permanently closed their doors. Those that remain open are exploring other lines of business in order to survive and keep at least some staff employed. Some restaurants are selling groceries. Others have pivoted entirely away from food and are paying employees to sew masks.

The program is the first in the U.S. dedicated specifically to senior citizens impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. World Central Kitchen has a similar initiative in place in the U.S. and is working with restaurants to deliver meals to both seniors and communities in need.

California’s program will serve millions of seniors living in isolation at this time. Those interested can enter their location at 211.org to see if they qualify.

Restaurant Workers Community Foundation Announces Relief Fund for Foodservice Employees

The Restaurant Workers Community Foundation, a nonprofit created by and for restaurant workers, has formed a COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund specifically to help restaurant employees as more businesses decide or are mandated by cities and states to close their doors.

And the list of those closures is growing by the hour. Ohio, Illinois, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland are among the states that have officially banned restaurants from serving food in the dining room right now in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus. Entire cities — NYC and Seattle among them — are mandating the same, while other places, such as Washington, D.C., are requiring restaurants to reduce occupancy and get rid of bar seating.

All of these moves are necessary to help flatten the curve of the coronavirus spread. The unfortunate side effect here is the financial strain it will impose on businesses and in particular the workers who rely on their shifts to make ends meet, in most cases do not get paid sick leave, and  live paycheck even in the best of times.

To that end, RWCF’s website left the following statement about the COVID-19 Relief Fund.

“Our fund will:

  • Immediately direct money to organizations leading on-the-ground efforts in the restaurant community. 
  • To bolster our impact investing budget to provide zero-interest loans to businesses to maintain payroll during closure or re-open once this crisis has passed.
  • To establish a relief fund for individual workers facing economic hardships or health crises as a direct result of COVID-19″

Individuals and companies can donate money, either as a one-time transaction or on an ongoing basis.