RESTAURANT WORKERS RELIEF PROGRAM
Due to the closure of restaurants across America during the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of restaurant workers had an urgent need for assistance. Independent restaurants are at the center of the vibrant growth in America. For the past decade, we have relied on the convivial and dynamic hospitality of the independent restaurant scene to make this a city that we are incredibly proud of. Restaurant workers need your help more than ever. It is vital that we offer relief to those in need, so after this crisis restaurants can return to their full vibrancy.
In partnership with Maker’s Mark , we turned restaurants across the country into relief centers with local chefs for any restaurant worker who has been laid off or has had a significant reduction in hours and/or pay. We offered help for those in need of food and supplies. Each night, we packed hundreds of to-go meals that people picked up to take home for them and their families.
Thanks to all of our generous partners who have helped us run relief kitchens across the country, we have given out over one million meals and thousands of pounds of supplies while restaurants were closed due to COVID.
Over the course of these efforts, supply chain issues became painfully apparent across the nation. As restaurants around the country re-open their doors, we are shifting our partnerships to focus on creating and maintaining long-term relationships between restaurants and small, sustainable farms. We hope this new program, Restaurant Reboot, will play a role in creating the new approach to food we see emerging across the country.
Thank you to everyone who has made this possible and will continue to help us support the restaurant industry.
DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM
Dinners are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Limit 1 package per person unless there is an emergency situation. We also have essential supplies on hand. We limit how much any one person can take of these supplies, but they will be handed out free to those in need. We will continue to offer this program as it is needed and until we can no longer financially support the program. Pickup information varies from restaurant to restaurant; please check with partner restaurants for the most updated information.
OPERATIONS IN THE FOLLOWING CITIES
Atlanta | Bay Area | Boston | Brooklyn (Olmsted) | Chicago | Cincinnati | Detroit | Houston | Indiana (Southern) | Lexington | Louisville | Los Angeles | Nashville | New Orleans | Raleigh | Seattle | Washington, D.C.
Eugene and Elizabeth’s
Atlanta, GA
Click here for more information
alaMar
Bay Area / Oakland, CA
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Blue Dragon
Boston, MA
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Olmsted
Brooklyn, NY
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West Town Bakery
Chicago, IL
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Mita’s
Cincinnati, OH
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Lady of the House
Detroit, MI
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Riel
Houston, TX
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Pints & Union
New Albany, IN
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Great Bagel
Lexington, KY
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610 Magnolia
Louisville, KY
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Sqirl
Los Angeles, CA
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Otaku To-Go
Nashville, TN
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Cochon
New Orleans, LA
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Hummingbird
Raleigh, NC
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Salare
Seattle, WA
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Succotash
Washington, D.C.
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The Founding mission of The LEE Initiative has always been to come up with fast and forward thinking solutions to address problems in our industry.
The most pressing need is to take care of our hospitality industry family. We want them to know that they are not alone, we are here for them. We will all get through this by coming together and supporting one another.