Fire Relief Fund for Beloved Chinatown Restaurant

On September 9, a fire broke out in a historic building in Vancouver's Chinatown, displacing 39 residents of the Keefer Rooms and 3 staff of Gain Wah Restaurant. This fundraiser is to support Andrew Leung, the owner of Gain Wah, and his staff, Anna and Tracy. Funds will go towards repair costs as the damage is far beyond what insurance will cover. It will also provide a little bit of relief for Gain Wah staff who have been working for years under compounding emotional stress due to increasing operating costs, threat of gentrification, impacts of heightened racism and the COVID-19 pandemic.

*SRO Collaborative is working with the displaced tenants on shelter, housing, and other immediate needs. They have set up a GoFundMe for the tenants which can be found here.

About Gain Wah:

Andrew has owned Gain Wah since 1989. For the past 30+ years, the restaurant has consistently fed the community with affordable and authentic Chinese meals, including the upstairs tenants and other community residents. The long-time employees of Gain Wah - including Anna who has been with Gain Wah for the last 10+ years, and Tracy for 25+ years - have been working day in and day out for decades, welcoming local residents and tourists alike. It is one of the few restaurants left in Vancouver where one can find folks from all walks of life bonding over a shared experience of Chinese food.

This is a treasured community space in Chinatown and the DTES. Please give to support Gain Wah through this difficult time and share widely.

Tyee Article - In the Pandemic, 'Gain Wah' Keeps Dishing Out Chinatown Classics