The Votes Are In!
2023 Readers' Choice is back, bigger and better than ever!
View Winners → 
Dining Jun 15, 2023
| Photo courtesy of Pixabay
by
share with
38 independently owned restaurants in Los Angeles received $5,000 grants from the California Restaurant Foundation’s (CRF) Restaurants Care Resilience Fund. Each restaurant receiving a grant can use the funds for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and employee training, allowing California’s independent restaurant owners to continue their businesses during challenging times.
The $2.1 million fund, supported by SoCalGas with a $1,000,000 donation, and other California utility companies, is the largest to date in terms of overall funding, individual grant sizes and grant utilization.
“With the generosity of SoCalGas, the Resilience Fund helped California’s independent restaurant community for a third consecutive year,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRF. “It’s apparent that there is still a significant need for restaurant assistance, as we received 25% more applications this year than last. While these grants will allow local restaurant owners to build more resilient businesses, we also hope to inspire Californians to support their vibrant local restaurant community in any way they can, whether that’s through dining, sharing on social media or spreading the word to friends and family.”
“SoCalGas and the California Restaurant Foundation are truly creating a positive impact on the lives of small business owners, their employees, and the communities these restaurants serve,” said Assemblymember Mike Gipson. “Through this fund, SoCalGas is helping our favorite local restaurants be successful now and long into the future.”
“SoCalGas’s grant will directly pay for payroll and daily operating expenses, rather than us having to take out loans,” said Nicole Green of Coco’s Lip Smacking Cupcakes. “This financial security will help us focus on what matters most: providing our customers with lip-smacking food and great service.”
“SoCalGas and the California Restaurant Foundation are truly creating a positive impact for our small business owners, their employees, and the communities they serve,” said City of Azusa Mayor Robert Gonzales. “Through this fund, SoCalGas is helping our favorite local restaurants be successful now and far into the future.”
Of the 89 grant recipients in SoCalGas’ service area, 64% of this year’s grant winners identify as female and 84% identify as people of color. About 64% of the grant funds will be used for equipment and technology upgrades and around 36% of the $5,000 grants will be put towards unforeseen hardships, employee training, and employee bonuses. To qualify, the restaurants needed to have five units or less, and less than $3 million in revenue. To see the full list of grant recipients, please visit www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.
Impressively, the Resilience Fund has provided financial assistance to nearly 1,000 independent restaurants across California over the last three years. The Resilience Fund is currently accepting additional support from corporations, foundations and individuals who want to invest in California’s vibrant restaurant community. Donations of all sizes are accepted and celebrated at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.
For more information about the California Restaurant Foundation or their Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, please visit www.restaurantscare.org.
