April 7, 2020

Help for Restaurant Owners and Restaurant Workers

Every industry is looking for ways to weather today’s rapidly changing business climate, especially those in the restaurant and hospitality sectors, among the hardest hit. We have pulled together a list of government, national, and local resources, which may be of help, and will continue to collect information to share with members of one of NoMad’s most appreciated assets.

Government Assistance

With input from various legal sources and the National Restaurant Association, Restaurant and Hospitality reports on what the stimulus package means to the industry. Details include:

  • Small Business Loans
  • Tax Benefits
  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Quality Improvement Property (QIP fix)

Read the full article here.

National Restaurant Association

The National Restaurant Association provides current information and resources on their site (restaurant.org).  Important specifics include:

It also provides Business Resources and Guidelines, which pertain to challenges the restaurant industry is facing:

RWCF (Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation)

The RWCF is working to collect information and links to resources that will help restaurants and workers deal with the COVID-19 emergency.  It will be continuously updated with new information, so check back frequently with the RWCF site.

Below are some of the key resources they are covering:

  • Relief Funds for Restaurant Workers
  • Financial Assistance
  • What Businesses Need to Know
  • Immigrant-Specific Concerns and Resources
  • Unemployment Resources
  • General Resources
  • Health, Healthcare, and Prevention
  • Health Alert for Workers

Relief Funds and Assistance

Relief funds have been established in order to help support restaurant owners, restaurant and delivery workers, and bars and bartenders.  Eater reports on many of these – below are select resources from their article:

Help For Restaurants

Help for Restaurant and Delivery Workers

Help for Bars and Bartenders

Help for New York City Establishments

Eater has aggregated a large list of funds that have been set up related to specific New York City establishments.  Listings by borough can be found here.

Many restaurants like NoMad’s La Pecora Bianca have set up gift card programs to benefit furloughed employees.  Read owner Mark Barak’s letter to patrons below. You can purchase gift cards to help here.

Gift cards like these are generally available for purchase on the restaurants’ websites.  If you are looking for an easy way to find a local favorite, the new site Help Main Street aggregates them in one place.  Purchase of these gift cards helps restaurants to continue to stay afloat and employ some staff during the shutdown.

COVID-19 Resource App

The COVID-19 Resource is a free collaborative app that can be downloaded directly to a cell phone through a website.  Download the COVID-19 Resource App here.

Though it is for general population use, it will be may be of help to anyone, whether or not they work in the restaurant industry.  The app offers a comprehensive resource list into 21 different topic areas, including physical and mental health, meal support, and legal assistance. Its “Feeling Sick” button brings users to the CDC’s coronavirus self-checker.  A “What’s New” section highlights recent news articles and updates from the U.S. Government.

During times of great change, when so much feels out of our own control, it can be beneficial to realize there are a variety of organizations and support systems that may be able to help.  Even if a specific entity is unable to help directly, it may be able to connect, refer, or inform of other resources that can assist.