Guy Fieri raises awareness for Restaurant Relief America

As the restaurant industry faces unprecedented times, the Restaurant Relief America campaign gets a boost from Guy Fieri and a long list of sponsors.

Empty tables are more than a discouraging visual. Restaurant Relief America is a campaign to help the nation’s restaurant industry that has been devastated by current crisis. With the help of celebrity chef Guy Fieri and a long list of brands, Restaurant Employee Relief Fund has been created to help those impacted.

While Fieri will be a strong voice for this campaign, he is not alone. Founding partners of this fund include, PepsiCo, Uber Eats, Constellation Brands, Moët Hennessy USA, Ecolab, Cargill, Boston Beer Company, Shift4 Payments, P&G Professional, The Elliot Group, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, and the Light Foundation.

The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund has been created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). This fund was created to help restaurant workers who have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

According to the NRAEF, “Early estimates indicate that as many as five to seven million restaurant workers may lose their jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis.” Those restaurant workers are more than just chefs. From the front of the house to the bartender to the dishwasher, the list of those impacted people grows every day.

While the Great American Takeout, Carry Out Wednesday and other delivery options are trying to help keep restaurants afloat, the industry will be forever changed. The term ghost kitchen has taken on a whole new meaning.

To raise awareness about Restaurant Relief America, Guy Fieri has leant his voice to the program. While many people watch him on the Food Network, the chef’s connection to the restaurant industry has been a big part of his career. From dishwasher to chef, he has held every type of position within a restaurant.

From his Food Network shows, he has created a connection with restaurants across the nation. Fieri said, “I’ve also spent the better part of the last 15 years traveling this great country meeting other folks who’ve dedicated their lives to this business and let me tell you something, they are the hardest working, most real deal workers you’ve ever met… the heartbeats of their communities.”

The idea that a restaurant is the heartbeat of a community is at the heart of the restaurant crisis. In some areas, that community restaurant is more than a weekend dinner out. It is the place to gather with friends and, at the same time, it provides the livelihood for the people in the community. When that community haven closes, the ripple effect is great.

While the immediate crisis needs to be address, the restaurant industry believes that it will return and be more resilient than ever. By providing relief now, people in need will have the means to help restaurants return in the future.

With the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, “100 percent of the monies raised going to impacted restaurant workers.” The fund will issue grants of a $500, one-time check. Impacted restaurant workers can apply for the fun starting on April 2, 2020. “these grants will be administered by the NRAEF and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on donating to RERF visit RERF.US.”

As everyone continues social distancing, the bustling restaurants look much more somber. While everyone looks forward to the day that people can gather around the bar, sit at their favorite table and toast to the return to a new normal, action is needed now. From making a donation to ordering a meal, those actions are more than just a gesture. It is helping a friend, a neighbor and part of the community.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.