Coronavirus has effected NYC life and business more than we ever could have first fathomed, especially for small businesses.
With restaurants and bars ordered to close, many have be forced to lay off most if not their entire staff. According to the New York Hospitality Alliance, 67,650 employees have been laid off in NYC since the PAUSE order went into effect.
But, there are still ways to help. Here are five tangible ways you can show your support for your favorite restaurants and bars, right now.
Donate to Individual Restaurant Relief Funds
Many local restaurants/businesses are creating “relief funds,” asking for donations from patrons to help support their employees who were left suddenly out of work. Here are some we have come accross:
- Brooklyn Cider House
- All those who donate $100 or more will receive 2 tickets to Brooklyn Cider House’s reopening celebration.
- Bubby’s, Chelsea
- Sel et Poivre NYC, Upper East Side
- Zooba, Nolita
- Hutong NYC, Midtown East
- Little Prince and Lola Taverna, SoHo
- An Choi, Lower East Side
- Calle Ocho NYC, Morningside Heights
- Double Down Saloon, East Village
- Ribalta NYC, Union Square
- Hole in the Wall, FiDi/Murray Hill
- Deacon Brodies, Hell’s Kitchen
- Gerber Group, The Campbell, Mr. Purple, Irvington, and more
- They are also setting up a ‘Pantry’ at Irvington that will provide free food for the Gerber Group staff for the foreseeable future. All food surplus from the closed venues have been provided to staff, and Gerber Group is continuing to place food orders with their small local vendors to ensure the pantry stays replenished (while continuing to provide business to these companies). Gerber Group is offering delivery service to any staff who is unable to make it to the food pantry at Irvington.
- The Highwater, Queens
- Dolly’s, Brooklyn (see more about them here)
You can find even more on GoFundMe.
Donate to National Relief Funds
There are also larger national relief funds, like the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation Emergency Relief Fund. The Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation is a “nationwide community dedicated to making the restaurant industry more hospitable to everyone.” This is how the donations for COVID-19 help will be divided among restaurants all across the country, according to their web page:
- 50% FOR DIRECT RELIEF TO INDIVIDUAL RESTAURANT WORKERS
- 25% FOR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SERVING RESTAURANT WORKERS IN CRISIS
- 25% FOR ZERO-INTEREST LOANS FOR RESTAURANTS TO GET BACK UP AND RUNNING
Advocate for Restaurant Aid
You can also sign petitions to help restaurant workers get government aid. Some circulating are ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants) and Save America’s Restaurants.
The NYC Hospitality Alliance is also asking for people to participate in a social media call to action to get attention from elected officials. You can see sample Tweets on their website here.
Order Takeout and Delivery When Possible
We are working on a full roundup list, but in the meantime check your favorite neighborhood restaurant’s social media pages (especially Instagram) to see they are offering delivery or takeout (and don’t forget, cocktails are included in that too!). Being a patron to them just as you would in “normal life” can help keep them afloat during this challenging time.
Buy Gift Cards
You can also check their websites to see if they are offering gift cards to buy to future use. The Union Square Hospitality Group is actively promoting this on their site to help pay their staff, and there is even the website Help Main Street that has available NYC restaurant gift cards all in one place.
featured image source: Shutterstock