Free. Easy. Extraordinarily Helpful.
Sign the Change.org petition (linked HERE), authored by ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants). It calls for a number of measures that ensure the hospitality sector is considered in all government relief efforts, including:
Double the state unemployment benefit immediately for all furloughed or laid off workers.
Provide rent abatement for the duration of the administrative closure followed by percentage rent through 2020 for tenants. This must be coupled with mortgage forgiveness for landlords.
Suspend state sales and payroll tax through end of year. Permit deferral of utility payments until reopening.
Maintain current State Liquor Authority payment extensions and on premise sales allowances.
Require business loss insurance to cover COVID-19 closures for hospitality businesses. The Governor must declare that the pandemic has caused physical loss and damage.
Declare that the pandemic falls under exemption for state obligations under the Warn Act.
Place a moratorium on state unemployment insurance premiums so rates are not increased.
Add flexibility to the definition of small business to allow small to mid-size restaurants to apply for aid.
Tell Congress to support restaurants and their employees! It’s as simple as clicking HERE.
Resources for Those in Need, and Worthy of Our Support!
If you are out of work, and need immediate support, there are a number of places to turn. If you are in a position to help the following groups, please do!
Donations go directly to those in need, and those on the front lines of the fight:
50% for direct crisis relief to individual restaurant workers.
25% for nonprofit organizations serving restaurant workers in crisis.
25% for zero-interest loans for restaurants to get back up and running.
The NYC Hospitality Alliance Website, provides a ton of information for members of the NYC hospitality community grappling with the crisis of our lifetime. Link to their website HERE.
Are You a Restaurant Pivoting to Delivery?
We know that many of you are pivoting towards delivery, and how difficult that transition can be. The good people at Somm have put together a user friendly platform to help. Click here.
Support Restaurants! Buy Now, Dine Later
Want to help a restaurant now, and put something hopeful on the calendar at the same time? Buy a Dining Bond. A Dining Bond is a gift certificates that are sold at a price lower than face value (how much lower is decided by each individual restaurant), but redeemable at face value upon dining at the restaurant. The goal is to sell them for the next 30 days to bring needed income to the restaurants and have them redeemable typically 30-60 days after purchase.
