What happens when you get sick or injured and you work in a restaurant? You keep working. At least, that’s how it’s always been. With low wages, lack of access to benefits, and usually nonexistent paid leave, the workers living paycheck to paycheck can’t really take care of their health. Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit in Atlanta, Georgia, is attempting to mitigate those challenges in their local Georgia community by providing financial assistance and resources to workers going through a financial crisis from injury, illness, a death in the family, or housing crisis due to flood or fire. 

We have been working on this episode for months, but as we write this, restaurants and their employees are facing a challenge unlike any other in the past due to the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. We’ve compiled some resources and tips for workers on our website at copperandheat.com/coronavirus. 

• Look into workshare programs in your city or state like this one in Massachusetts.
• Many states are making applying for unemployment easier for those affected by COVID-19. So look it up in your state. 
• Bartenders - there’s an emergency relief fund that you can apply to through the USBG 
• See if your local restaurant association or any other nonprofits have an emergency financial assistance program like this one. 
• Some folks are starting GoFundMe pages for emergency relief like this one in Boston. Give if you can, start one in your area, apply if you need help. 
• Participate in telling city, state, and federal governments to announce a plan to help workers and small businesses.    

And some resources: 

• Resources for Restaurants and Workers Coping with the COVID-19 Emergency - Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation
• Unemployed Due to Coronavirus Pandemic? Here’s Where to Get Help - United Way of King County (for Seattle folks)
• California employees sidelined by coronavirus may get these benefits - San Francisco Chronicle
• How NYC Restaurant Workers Are Getting Help So Far - Eater New York
• Resources for Businesses Impacted by the Coronavirus - Cherry Bombe
• Resources by state - Gig Workers Collective

Industry Support Groups: 

• Chefs With Issues
• Industry United

If you’re not in the industry, do your part in helping them out. 

• Tip generously. Like 30%. Workers are relying on these tips more than ever.
• Order delivery and take out from local restaurants if you’re practicing social distancing. A lot of local places are expanding their take out options. If you order through a delivery app, ask the restaurant which they prefer (some take lower commissions and some are waiving the commission fee altogether)
• If you’re working through your stockpile of food, buy some gift cards from your favorite local restaurants to keep them in business until we’re on the other side of the pandemic. 
• Some folks are starting GoFundMe pages for emergency relief like this one in Boston. Give if you can, start one in your area, apply if you need help.
• Participate in telling city, state, and federal governments to announce a plan to help workers and small businesses.