This financial assistance will help local restaurant and bar workers secure meals for their families, while also aiding in the economic recovery of restaurants during this time. Workers affected by the COVID-19 restaurant closures can apply for the assistance on the HFWF site (www.
Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival has raised nearly $100,000 from corporate and individual sponsors, and community donations through a social media crowdfunding campaign called the #ALOHAChallenge. The goal is to raise a minimum of $250,000 to provide about 10,000 meals. One hundred percent of all funds generated from the campaign will be used to provide meals for restaurant workers.
Visa cards will be available to restaurant and bar employees who meet these criteria:
- A current resident of the State of Hawai‘i and must provide valid Hawai‘i State Driver's License or Hawai‘i State Identification Card number;
- Worked full- or part-time basis in the restaurant or bar industry for at least the past 90 days prior to being furloughed or laid-off due to COVID-19;
- Employment in the restaurant or bar industry have had to be the primary source of income for the last year;
- Have experienced a decrease in wage or loss of job on or after March 17, 2020; and
- Must provide copies of paystubs. 1. Paystub dated December 17, 2019 or earlier, and 2. Last paystub received (pay period must include March 17, 2020).
“The lifeline of Hawai‘i Food & Wine is our local culinary industry — the restaurants, chefs and their ‘ohana (staff),” said Denise Yamaguchi, founder and CEO of HFWF. “With many restaurants laying off 80-90% of their employees who live paycheck to paycheck, we felt a responsibility to step up and help our restaurants and their workers so that the culinary industry here can continue to thrive when the pandemic subsides.”
The HFWF mission is to spotlight Hawai‘i as a culturally-rich destination by producing world-class culinary experiences that support the farmers, students, chefs and people who call Hawai‘i home. In keeping with the mission, HFWF is pivoting its execution to support the Hawai‘i culinary industry during this unprecedented time. The Festival will continue to evolve to preserve the current food culture that has been created since the Festival’s launch in 2011.
Donate or learn more about the Kokua Restaurant Workers’ Fund via www.HawaiiFoodandWineFestival.
No comments:
Post a Comment