Restaurant Worker Fund for ROAR

Restaurants are the lifeblood of New York City - they are there for us in times of celebration, times with friends, and quiet moments with our family.

Now it is our turn to give back! This weekend I'm talking to some of my favorite chefs and cookbook authors on Instagram Live in an effort to raise awareness about helping those who have given us so much.

Watch the Livestream Here! 

Donate and my company, Potluck with Ali, will match all donations. And because the organization we are donating to, Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants (ROAR), has partnered with Robin Hood, this is a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation.

The Schedule (So Far) Is as Follows:

SATURDAY
9:00am Journalist, cookbook author and Italy expert Elizabeth Minchilli
9:20am  3-Time James Beard Award winning cookbook author Dorie Greenspan
10:00am Top Chef Canada Host and Chef Eden Grinshpan
10:20am Cookbook author of Dude Diet series Serena Wolf
10:40am Chef, Travel Channel Host and "What's Eating America" on MSNBC host Andrew Zimmern
11:00am Indian-ish author, New York Times and Bon Appetit contributor Priya Krishna 

SUNDAY
9:40am Chef and Top Chef contestant Grayson Schmitz
10:00am James Beard Award winning chef and author Kwame Onwuachi
10:40am Chef, Chopped Judge and Food Network regular Marc Murphy
11:00 Food & Wine's Culinary Director-at-Large and cookbook author  Justin Chapple


About ROAR's Efforts:

The Fund grants are intended to be awarded on a first-come-first served basis (expressly subject to the availability of donations received by the Fund) to those individuals facing unprecedented economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that meet the prescribed eligibility criteria detailed below, as reviewed and verified by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF).  A one-time grant of $500 will be disbursed directly to the applicant pending NRAEF’s review and verification that their submitted application meets the prescribed guidelines. Availability of awards will be based on available funds and will be limited to one per individual.  

Restaurants and bars are the heartbeat of New York City. When the government abruptly shut them down to mitigate the spread of deadly COVID-19, about half a million people suddenly found themselves out of work, with no ability to earn a living from home. With paychecks and tips lost overnight, service workers don't know how they will cover next month’s rent, put food on the table, or pay for medicine, school, child care and more.

Robin Hood, New York City’s largest and most-effective poverty-fighting organization, has been dedicated to serving others for more than 30 years, and during the time of the COVID-19 crisis, is actively focused on those who will be disproportionately harmed by its immediate and long-term impacts.