Times are tough out there, and one of the industries that has been hardest hit in the current crisis is the restaurant business. Until recently, their dining rooms have been closed all across the world, and even offering take out, curbside, and delivery, they’ve had to drastically reduce staff.
Most people who work as wait staff in a restaurant depend on their weekly tips to make ends meet; they don’t have massive savings, and unemployment can be tricky, since their actual paychecks are often less than minimum wage (don’t get me started).
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_x1R2AjCbt/
Mayor of Flavortown and successful Food Network host Guy Fieri wasn’t about to sit back and let his people suffer and undue hardship – not if he could help it.
On May 7th he appeared on TMZ Live to announce that he had partnered with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to launch the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.
Major corporations involved in hospitality and food services have worked with Fieri to award grants of $500 apiece to workers who are “facing extraordinary hardship due to the pandemic.”
So far, they’ve raised over $20 million to seed the fund – in less than two months.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_71wv7F-E6/
If you or someone you love works in hospitality and has been struggling, you can apply at rerf.us. Applications are reviewed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and the money is dispersed “as soon as possible.”
If you want to donate to the fund, you’ll need to visit the same site.
10,000 new workers recently received their approved grants, and even though Fieri spearheaded the efforts, other celebrities like Diplo, Dillon Francis, Live Nation, and even Corona (the beer) are throwing their weight around for a good cause.
I love to see people coming together, doing their best work in troubled times.
It really reminds you that people are good at heart, and how much we can accomplish when we work together.
