Support Moss Staff
Donation protected
To our community of regulars and friends of Moss-
On Monday night, I made the very difficult decision to temporarily close Moss Cafe until it is reasonably responsible to reopen. Right now, there is no certainty of when that will be, and while we are already looking forward to that day, the reality is that it likely won't be soon.
The difficulty came in knowing that while it may be the safest decision for public health, and even the personal health of some, if not all, of my staff, it would also put every single person who works at Moss in an incredibly precarious financial position. A small family owned business suddenly without any revenue cannot commit to supporting over 20 households, even if I *SO BADLY* wish it could. Unemployment benefits pay less than half an average weekly income. Restaurant workers all over this country are some of the most vulnerable individuals at a time like this-- many of them immigrants starting out a new life, without family nearby to lean on, many young recent graduates just stepping into the financial responsibilities of adulthood, hoping to build up savings in spite of crushing student debt, and in the case of Moss, many parents of young children who are not just responsible for themselves but remarkably those even more vulnerable than themselves.
THIS is the time when we need government, but in the absence of any commitment or more immediate supports, and because so many of you reached out to ask how you could help in the face of our closure, I have set up this page as a way to collect funds for the beloved Moss staff who are truly the lifeblood of what I am honored and grateful to say has become such a thriving and beautiful community institution. Without them, there is no Moss. 100% of donations here will go directly to our laid off team.
I want to quote an inspiring industry leader, Danny Meyer, who posted this recently on his own restaurant group's instagram page:
"Reconciling who we are with what’s needed for this moment is nearly impossible. And it’s entirely heartbreaking."
Moss has always been value driven in regards to sustainability, quality and community building customer service, but behind the scenes, taking care of my staff is perhaps my most important role as business owner. The fact that I cannot, alone, help each one of them in this tremendous time of need, is weighing heavily on me. If you've asked me in recent days how I'm doing or what you can do to help, please know that THIS above anything else is what we need.
With love and gratitude,
Emily Weisberg
On Monday night, I made the very difficult decision to temporarily close Moss Cafe until it is reasonably responsible to reopen. Right now, there is no certainty of when that will be, and while we are already looking forward to that day, the reality is that it likely won't be soon.
The difficulty came in knowing that while it may be the safest decision for public health, and even the personal health of some, if not all, of my staff, it would also put every single person who works at Moss in an incredibly precarious financial position. A small family owned business suddenly without any revenue cannot commit to supporting over 20 households, even if I *SO BADLY* wish it could. Unemployment benefits pay less than half an average weekly income. Restaurant workers all over this country are some of the most vulnerable individuals at a time like this-- many of them immigrants starting out a new life, without family nearby to lean on, many young recent graduates just stepping into the financial responsibilities of adulthood, hoping to build up savings in spite of crushing student debt, and in the case of Moss, many parents of young children who are not just responsible for themselves but remarkably those even more vulnerable than themselves.
THIS is the time when we need government, but in the absence of any commitment or more immediate supports, and because so many of you reached out to ask how you could help in the face of our closure, I have set up this page as a way to collect funds for the beloved Moss staff who are truly the lifeblood of what I am honored and grateful to say has become such a thriving and beautiful community institution. Without them, there is no Moss. 100% of donations here will go directly to our laid off team.
I want to quote an inspiring industry leader, Danny Meyer, who posted this recently on his own restaurant group's instagram page:
"Reconciling who we are with what’s needed for this moment is nearly impossible. And it’s entirely heartbreaking."
Moss has always been value driven in regards to sustainability, quality and community building customer service, but behind the scenes, taking care of my staff is perhaps my most important role as business owner. The fact that I cannot, alone, help each one of them in this tremendous time of need, is weighing heavily on me. If you've asked me in recent days how I'm doing or what you can do to help, please know that THIS above anything else is what we need.
With love and gratitude,
Emily Weisberg
Organizer
Emily Weisberg
Organizer
New York, NY
