COVID-19 Ways to Help or Get Help

Off Their Plate provides meals to health care workers on the coronavirus front lines while helping to bring back restaurant jobs. Support this cause and join our Chef’s from Row 34, Porto, Cafe Sushi and many more.

In partnership with Maker’s Mark and Chef Edward Lee, Lee Initiative has turned restaurants across the country into relief centers with local chefs for any restaurant worker who has been laid off or has had a significant reduction in hours and/or pay. Each night, they pack hundreds of to-go meals that people can come to pick up and take home. Ming Tsai’s Blue Dragon houses a Boston outpost.

 

World Central Kitchen is working across America to safely distribute individually packaged, fresh meals in communities that need support – for children and families to pick up and take home, as well as delivery to seniors who cannot venture outside. WCK is now active in dozens of cities providing nearly 200,000 fresh meals every day.

 

The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) partners with 500+ hunger-relief agencies, including food pantries, community meal programs, and other food assistance providers throughout the nine counties and 190 towns and cities across Eastern Massachusetts.

Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline is the only comprehensive statewide information and referral service in Massachusetts for people facing hunger.

Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation (RWCF) is compiling an extensive list of resources and links related to the COVID-19 Crisis on its website, and, soon, we will collect data (qualitative and quantitative) from affected workers and restaurant owners so that we can work with local and national leaders to address the systemic issues the COVID19 pandemic has exposed.

 

 

The purpose of the James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Industry Relief Fund (the “Fund”) is to provide critical financial assistance to small, independent restaurants that, due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) national disaster, have an immediate need for funds to pay set operating expenses and keep from going out of business. JBF’s goal is to do their part along with federal, state, and local governments to provide for workers, sustain local business, reduce the financial impact on communities, and otherwise mitigate the severe economic consequences of this global pandemic.

The JPF is deeply concerned for their Community Kitchen Partners. They need  support now more than ever, if you can, please donate today to The JPF Emergency Community Kitchen Relief Fund. Funds will be fast-tracked through our granting program to get where they are needed most. Visit JPF’s Shopify store for a limited Relief Fund promotion of Jacques’ Artwork.

Mei Mei has set up the Mei Mei Restaurant Emergency Grocery Program, offering at-cost groceries for industry workers and others who are experiencing challenges to food access. Pickup is at Mei Mei (506 Park Dr., Boston), and both Venmo and cash are accepted for payment.

 

Samuel Adams has partnered with The Greg Hill Foundation to launch The Restaurant Strong Fund, which will help those in the Massachusetts restaurant industry affected by COVID-19. The goal is to provide $1,000 grants to full-time restaurant workers who depend on wages and tips to cover basic living expenses and provide for their families.

Powered by Toast, Rally for Restaurants allows you to buy gift cards to your favorite restaurants, all on in one place. Share your contribution to social media with the hashtag #rallyforrestaurants, and Toast will give $1 to an organization supporting the community.

 

One Fair Wage, an organization advocating to end the sub-minimum wage for tip workers, has launched the Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund for anyone affected by the coronavirus and its economic fallout.

 

The United States Bartenders’ Guild’s (USGB) National Charity Foundation launched a Bartender Emergency Assistance Program, offering philanthropic grants to any bartender affected by the virus. Anyone can donate here, and bartenders may apply for a grant here.

 

Please note that these resources are subject to change. We will provide updates as they develop.