Monthlong Event to Benefit California’s Struggling Restaurants & Foodservice Workers
California Restaurant Association Foundation (CRAF), a non-profit that invests in and empowers California’s restaurant workforce, is proud to announce the planning of its inaugural ‘The Grateful Table Dine Out,’ a monthlong event in November, to benefit California’s struggling restaurant community and raise funds for CRAF’s Restaurants Care program which provides restaurant workers facing hardships with relief grants for basic living needs like groceries, utilities, diapers, clothing, gas and rent. The ask is simple. The monthlong event encourages consumers to “dine out to help out” as much as possible this November in gratitude to our neighborhood restaurants. CRAF is currently seeking sponsors, media partners, and influencers who are interested in being a part of this dire cause to help save California’s restaurants and give our economy the boost it so desperately needs.
CRAF has completely remodeled The Grateful Table, which typically consists of several dinner events throughout California, to create a statewide campaign that’s complementary to our current way of life and has the potential to make a lasting impact on the industry by giving back to the hardworking people who operate our restaurants – chefs, cooks, bussers, bartenders, servers and dishwashers – in their greatest time of need. Since the pandemic hit in March, Restaurants Care has awarded grants to over 1,000 of California’s restaurant workers also benefitting their nearly 1,700 dependents, with 79% of grant recipients awarded to people of color.
“We’re very excited to announce The Grateful Table Dine Out as a way for the entire state to get involved by simply eating at restaurants! Whether its takeout, dine-in or delivery, let’s band together this November and support our local restaurants,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRAF. “Along the way, we’ll be showing how your support directly impacts the lives of California’s restaurant workers and their families. So, in honor of your favorite restaurant, server or most memorable meal, please join us in making a difference.”
From COVID-19 to social injustices and now fires ravaging the state, this year has brought many unanticipated obstacles to California’s restaurant community, which is more than 1.6 million strong. The need for non-profits like CRAF and Restaurants Care is stronger than ever. CRAF has been busy finding ways to support and drive traffic to restaurants, as well as raise funds for the struggling workforce. To sustain California’s vibrant and diverse food scene, its imperative communities come together to support the interconnected restaurant ecosystem.
Harshfield continued, “We’re offering a range of incentives for those who have the resources and platforms to help bring awareness to our inaugural The Grateful Table Dine Out. The generous contributions from everyone involved will make a lasting impact on one of California’s hardest-hit industries moving into the holiday season.”
To learn more about The Grateful Table Dine Out sponsorship and partnership opportunities, contact Alycia Harshfield at aharshfield@calrest.org or by telephone at (916) 212-8484, or visit www.thegratefultabledineout.org. Restaurants interested in promoting their involvement will be provided with free downloadable assets. For more information about CRAF and the Restaurants Care program, go to www.restaurantscare.org.
California is home to more than 90,000 eating and drinking places that ring up more than $72 billion in sales and employ more than 1.6 million workers, making restaurants an indisputable driving force in the state’s economy. The California Restaurant Association Foundation is a non-profit that empowers and invests in California’s restaurant workforce. Founded in 1981, CRAF supports the restaurant community through emergency assistance grants for restaurant workers facing a hardship, job and life skills training for 13,500 high school students each year, and scholarships. For more information visit www.calrestfoundation.org.
