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UPDATES FOR INDUSTRY - Business Relief, Community Needs, Worker Relief

March 15, 2020

NOTE TO OUR COMMUNITY
Some of you reading this are members, others are not, but all are worried about your business and employees given the current situation. We understand, we are worried too, however you should feel confident that in difficult times, which this industry has faced before, we have prevailed best when we come together as a community and face it head on. We urge you to stay strong, stay clear-minded, and know that you are not alone in this. We are working for you, and there are many efforts in motion. Understanding that you are concerned about your business and employees right now, and also as you think about the future, we are working to give you support, resources, and assistance to stay afloat in this interim time, and to protect your business moving forward. 

REAL TIME UPDATE ON RELIEF, SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY
RAMW is working to get our industry relief, as fast as possible, at the city and state level. Our partners at the National Restaurant Association are working on legislation at the Congressional level to protect this industry's interests in regard to the bills around emergency family and medical leave and paid sick leave. A bill passed the House Friday evening, and will likely be taken up by the Senate on Monday. We will provide more details on what is included in the legislation. As with everything right now, this is a rapidly evolving situation and we will keep you posted. 
 
In DC, there is an Emergency Hearing on Tuesday around draft legislation that RAMW and other hospitality stakeholders helped to craft to act as financial relief for the hospitality industry and economic stimulus for the local economy. RAMW will testify at the hearing and we will keep you in the know about the outcome.
 
The Small Business Administration is also offering disaster assistance in response to coronavirus. Click here for more information on what will be available. We will provide more guidance on how to tap into assistance as it becomes available. 
 
WHERE TO GO FOR RAMW RESOURCES
We are sending members updates daily and publishing updates on our website here as we have them. Feel free to share this link with industry colleagues.
 
INDUSTRY CONTACT LIST
It is important that we include the entire food service community in our efforts and communication as all are affected. We started a contact list for those in the industry who may be in need of information, resources, support and may not be a member or on our membership email list. 
 
PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK now with your restaurant neighbors and friends and colleagues in the industry who are possibly not RAMW members, but need to be in our collective community at this difficult time. LINK: Industry Contact List
 
WORKER RELIEF
In addition to relief efforts for businesses at the legislative level, there are some industry grown efforts underway to assist restaurant workers who may be without income, or significantly decreased income, as restaurant traffic is decreased. 
 
Hook Hall Helps: RAMW member Hook Hall (3400 Georgia Avenue, NW ) has gone to great measures to make their operation a DC hub for workers who need resources, family meals and to-go meals, supplies, and more. They partnered with FoodPRO and SYSCO, so far, to obtain donated supplies. READ MORE
 
In partnership, RAMW's Education Foundation, Educated Eats, is supporting Hook Hall to get the word out, seek in-kind donations of meals, supplies, and assistance. There is a donation link setup to collect funds that RAMW and Hook Hall Helps will use to fund the above needs as emergency workforce assistance. Please share this information with anyone you think may be interested. 
 
RESTAURANT SUPPORT FROM PARTNERS
Many partners want to help and are figuring out how to do that, whether it is right now with funding or through consumer messaging like Open Table sent out to urge customers to trust and support restaurants in different and creative ways. We are exploring funding opportunities and marketing dollars to increase restaurant traffic, after this situation settles a bit, to drive traffic back to you as fast as possible. 
 
Stay tuned for updates. 
 
Best,
Kathy