By CLTure News
April 6, 2020
By now, we all know, the restaurant industry has been devastated by the impact of COVID-19. Stay-in-place orders across the country have limited the food and beverage industry to take-out, delivery, and for some, full closure.
Early estimates have figured as many as five to seven million restaurant workers losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis according to Rob Gifford, President of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
The NRAEF launched their Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF) in late March and with the help of celebrity chefs like Guy Fieri, they’ve raised millions for restaurant workers financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
The application opened on April 2, and 100 percent of all donations from the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF) go directly to restaurant workers in the form of a one-time $500 check. The funds can go towards housing, transportation, utilities, child-care, groceries, medical bills and/or student loans.
Administered by the NRAEF and offered on a first-come, first-served basis, the application process has been paused temporarily due to the overwhelming response. They’ve been providing periodic updates on the website.
For more information on the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund application process or to donate, visit RERF.US.
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