A grassroots response to the COVID-19 crisis by restaurant owners and operators in Richmond, VA
An open letter to Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney
Richmond Restaurants United is calling on Mayor Stoney to provide a clear path to reopening restaurants in the City. We are asking for an explicit description of what data will be considered in reopening and how the city plans to interpret it, along with clear guidelines and expectations for each phase of reopening. Richmond restaurants have been living week-to-week for more than two months. What we need is a real, workable plan.
We are asking Mayor Stoney:
- To clarify what data is being used, how long it will take to interpret that data, and what criteria will enable each phase of reopening
- To give Richmond food and beverage operators a seat at the table to develop Richmond-specific reopening measures and initiatives.
- To seek public release of Phase 2, 3 or subsequent Phase guidelines immediately, and to provide timely communication of Richmond-specific guidelines throughout all phases of reopening.
How to Help
#1: Donate money to a relief fund for restaurant workers
#2. Donate your services or expertise. Are you a designer? Lawyer? Accountant? Real estate professional? Especially if you are local to Richmond, VA and want to help our city’s workers or operators, contact us and we will spread your message.
#3. Support your favorite establishments. Everyone is trying to navigate this thing in different ways. Follow the social media pages of your neighbors who own/operate/work at restaurants and look out for them. Also, keepcalmandnomnom.com is a Richmond-area listing of Restaurants promoting gift card sales.
Karri Peifer is keeping a list of restaurants open for takeout and delivery regularly updated over at Richmond.com
#4. Empathize. Restaurants are not just getting hit hard by the pandemic; let’s face it, everyone is getting hit hard. But, what is happening to restaurants and restaurant workers now will trickle down to other industries. Now is the time to advocate swift, decisive action by every level of government.
Resources for Restaurant Workers
- RVAStrong – Richmond’s Centralized Response and Reopening Support Portal
- Bonfire Fundraisers
- Undocuscholars COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Communities
- Government Stimulus Information
- Virginia Employment Commission Survey
- Support Offer: Resume Writing
- James Beard Foundation Advocacy Toolkit for Federal & State Gov
- Health and Wellness Opportunities Wellness/Counseling
- Food Industry Coronavirus Support Resources
- Another Rally Another Round Emergency Relief Grant
- Richmond Restaurant Workers Support Fund
- Census Jobs (temporary)
- Big Spoon Co.: COVID-19 FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANT WORKERS
- Consider temporary childcare positions
- Amazon’s coronavirus plan: Hire displaced restaurant workers, raise hourly pay
- Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety
- CDC Workbook on Keeping Commercial Establishments Safe
- Applying for Unemployment Benefits through the Virginia Employment Commission
- Bartender Emergency Assistance Program
Resources for Restaurant Owners and Operators
- RVAStrong – Richmond’s Centralized Response and Reopening Support Portal
- VA 30 Day Fund
- Bonfire Fundraisers
- Undocuscholars COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Communities
- Government Stimulus Information
- Virginia Employment Commission Survey
- Health and Wellness Opportunities Wellness/Counseling
- Food Industry Coronavirus Support Resources
- Pro-Bono Design Services
- “Now What? Business Ops Guide For Restaurants Webinar”
- keepcalmandnomnom.com
- Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
- Big Spoon Co.: COVID-19 FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANT WORKERS
- Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety
- Facebook Small Business Grants Program
- Fill Out The James Beard Foundation’s COVID-19 Impact Survey
- Join the Dining Bonds Initiative
- CDC Workbook on Keeping Commercial Establishments Safe
- Things Richmond Restaurants can do Now
- Richmond Restaurants United Meets with Mayor Stoney
Submit a Resource
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8 replies on “Richmond Restaurants United”
I’m sure this suggestion has been brought forth but if you are not on the door Dash platform or ubereats you may be able to get on there on the Fly if that helps also I think they’re offering commission free during this crisis, it would also help me out just a thought, it might also allow you to rotate some employees
We are also offering commission-free delivery & pickup with direct immediate payments https://orderlina.com/
As far as “#3. Support your favorite establishments.” we’re trying to support restaurants by ordering take-out a couple times a week; can you guys complie a list fo local restaurants still avalible for take-out to make this easier/more navigable for the community?
A friend in the restaurant industry in Ann Arbor told me that they have a Venmo account that people can “tip” to whenever they open a drink or cook at home. These funds are then put into the gofundme.
Is there already something set up like this? It would make it very easy to donate steadily to the relief fund in a habitual manner.
You all need to make a coordinated effort to get Henrico county to eliminate the meals tax during these tough times for the tens of thousands who have lost jobs and more job losses in the near future.
Retirement savings are markedly diminished for the elderly who are living off their savings.
As Governor Northam said, we are in a state of a biological war. Meals are essential and we can’t be imposing meals taxes in such times.
Hi Dishant, meals tax abatement/freeeze is definitely one of the things a group of us has been lobbying for. With that being said, this group is primarily focused on the city of Richmond. We have shared the idea with state officials, and the response is basically that they are aware of the proposal and are working to come up with a comprehensive plan as soon as possible.
I’m the Creative Services Director for WRLH FOX Richmond. Is it ok if we provide a link to this site on our website?
https://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2018/apr/29/city-eliminates-240000-admissions-tax-debt-richmon/
Get Richmond to eliminate your taxes and fees and penalties just like they did for their friend Johnson.