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Operator & Employee Relief

March 30, 2020
Dear Operators,
 
As we start this new week, we know many of you are still navigating your temporary business models and continuing to seek guidance and support during these uncertain times. Many in our industry have proactively launched efforts to support their employees, but we understand it is difficult to decide what the right route for you may be. We wanted to share with you some forthcoming employee relief options.
 
First, know that RAMW is developing a model in partnership with our friends at Hook Hall Helps to modestly support our operators to position restaurants who are interested and have capacity to do so, to open as community kitchens. Through this model, which we will put in action this week, interested restaurants can receive specific funding through the RAMW/Hook Hall Helps Worker Relief Fund to modestly defray costs associated with overhead as they utilize their spaces as community kitchens. The goal being to activate operations to create packaged meals for sale and donation for various needs including meals for hospitality industry workers who need support, hospital and healthcare workers and first responders, senior citizens, and school children. This model allows a group of restaurants to open doors that may be closed, re-hire some employees, purchase goods from local suppliers, and move money through the regional food economy to begin the road to recovery. Please stay tuned as guidelines are available in the next few days.
 
Secondly, the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) announced late last week that they are launching a Restaurant Employee Relief Fund to support U.S. restaurant workers financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The Fund will be distributing grants to individuals who apply and meet the very simple RERF eligibility requirements. Guy Fieri, industry icon, is leading a nationwide fundraising drive for the Fund.
 
How It Works:
  • Restaurant industry employees complete the RERF grant request, open online on April 2nd.
  • Grants are first-come-first-serve. Requests are reviewed, checked for eligibility, and granted by the NRAEF.
  • Recipients receive a one-time $500 check to use toward housing, transportation, utilities, child-care, groceries, medical bills, or student loans.
RAMW will continue to provide you the support, resources and information to get you through this period. We are internally considering what that could look like in terms of relief to you, as members, to ensure you feel you can continue to be a part of our community. We will be sharing details on deferral of membership dues and on no-cost marketing programming that we will offer operators as our industry considers what will be needed when we get to recovery mode.
 
Please note, The National Restaurant Association’s webinar with the Small Business Administration, previously scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed. We will send additional information as it becomes available.
 
More to come, as always.
 
Best,
Kathy