Tag Archives: SDG&E

Show 592, August 31, 2024: California Restaurant Foundation’s 2024 Restaurants Care Resilience Fund Grants

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Alycia Harshfield of the California Restaaurant Association

“The California Restaurant Foundation (CRF), a nonprofit that invests in and empowers California restaurants and their workforce, has awarded 278 independent restaurants with $5,000 grants as part of its fourth consecutive Restaurants Care® Resilience Fund. The grants were made possible via thoughtful donations from SoCalGas, The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), which have contributed to the fund since 2021. Recipients can use the $5,000 assistance for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardships, employee retention bonuses and employee training, all of which allow California’s independent restaurant owners and caterers to invest in the longevity of their business and employees.”

“We’re incredibly thankful to our generous donors for their continued support, which has afforded us the opportunity to assist thousands of business owners in California’s food industry since 2021,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRF. “Together, we have proudly sustained the Resilience Fund for the past four years, ensuring that California’s independent restaurant owners and caterers remain a vital and vibrant part of our state’s culinary landscape and economy for many years ahead.”

“Notably, 76 percent of the grant recipients identify as female, and 73 percent identify as people of color. More than 70 percent of this year’s recipients plan to use the $5,000 grants for kitchen equipment or technology upgrades, and 17 percent will dedicate the funds to employee retention bonuses. To qualify, the restaurants and caterers needed to have fewer than five units, and less than $3 million in revenue.” View the full list of 2024 Restaurants Care® Resilience Fund grant recipients.

The CRF’s Alycia Harshfield (Executive Director) is our guest to more fully explain this year’s results.

Show 420, April 10, 2021: Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director, California Restaurant Association Foundation

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Alycia Harshfield of the California Restaaurant Association

“It’s estimated that one million restaurant jobs have been lost in California alone as a result of COVID-19. To provide support for independent restaurant owners across the state, the California Restaurant Association Foundation (CRF) has partnered with California’s energy companies to launch the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund. The $1.25 million fund, which includes generous donations from SoCalGas, PG&E and SDG&E, will provide grants up to $3,500 to single-unit restaurants in select counties across the state, with priority given to woman- and BIPOC-owned restaurants. Applications for the Resilience Fund will be open from April 11-18 only.”

“Grants given by CRF’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund are intended to be used on payroll and related expenses so the restaurant operator can free up funds for other expenses such as rent, technology upgrades and outdoor dining retrofitting. Additionally, restaurants that receive a Resilience Fund grant will also receive support services and resources to improve their business for the long-term. Over the past year, through the non-profit’s Restaurants Care® program, CRF has helped more than 1,200 restaurant workers, their families and businesses and believes that by investing in the lasting success of these restaurants, we can also preserve jobs and communities throughout California.”

“What’s really unique about our Resilience Fund is that it supports the business as well as individual restaurant workers,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of the California Restaurant Association Foundation. “A portion of the funds raised will provide grants for cooks, servers, dishwashers and more who face unforeseen hardship and have nowhere else to turn and the rest will go to the restaurant. So yes, we’re helping restaurants keep their crew on payroll, while also offering a safety net for when things get tough. While we’re delighted to see restaurants opening up and COVID cases drop, the recovery will take years and we’re doing what we can to help.”

“Resilience Fund applications will be open from April 11-18, 2021 and can be found at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience. Grants will be available to single-unit, California-based restaurants in the following counties: Alameda, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Joaquin with a staff of 50 or fewer employees. To qualify, the restaurant must currently be open and have experienced a revenue loss of at least 20% from 2019-2020.”

The California Restaurant Association Foundation’s Executive Director, Alycia Harshfield, is our guest to explain the Resilience Fund’s purpose and program details.