Support the 26 West Staff
Donation protected
On Sunday night, we found out that Red Bank would be closing all restaurants and bars in response to COVID19. On Monday, our staff joined us at 26 West as we emptied out our walk-ins and prepped the business to close. While we sent them home with bags filled with food, the good-byes were hard.
The restaurant industry is tough, you have long hours with stressful rushes, slow days without tips, and days where you just need a good cry in the walk in. You spend more time with the staff you employ than your family at home. We share the over exhausted, dance party clean ups late at night when the customers are gone, the after work drinks in town, the laughs, the tears, the good, the bad, everything. The restaurant becomes a family and a support system.
Beyond the financial strain this puts on us as business owners it affects our staff much worse. Every smiling face that greets you at your table when you dine with us is somebody supporting not only themselves but their entire family in some cases. They have student loan debt, rent, medical bills, transportation expenses, child care, and much more. As a restaurant we will get through this but our hearts break for our people.
At this time we have not received any direction from local, state, or national government on financial aid or when we will be able to reopen. While we don't want to ask for help, we are put into a situation where we have to. Any funds from this campaign will be split between all of our staff members to help them get by right now. We recognize that many are facing financial struggles of their own in the wake of this pandemic but any and all donations help and are greatly appreciated!
I know I speak for all the staff when I say thank you and that we hope to see you all very soon once this subsides.
The restaurant industry is tough, you have long hours with stressful rushes, slow days without tips, and days where you just need a good cry in the walk in. You spend more time with the staff you employ than your family at home. We share the over exhausted, dance party clean ups late at night when the customers are gone, the after work drinks in town, the laughs, the tears, the good, the bad, everything. The restaurant becomes a family and a support system.
Beyond the financial strain this puts on us as business owners it affects our staff much worse. Every smiling face that greets you at your table when you dine with us is somebody supporting not only themselves but their entire family in some cases. They have student loan debt, rent, medical bills, transportation expenses, child care, and much more. As a restaurant we will get through this but our hearts break for our people.
At this time we have not received any direction from local, state, or national government on financial aid or when we will be able to reopen. While we don't want to ask for help, we are put into a situation where we have to. Any funds from this campaign will be split between all of our staff members to help them get by right now. We recognize that many are facing financial struggles of their own in the wake of this pandemic but any and all donations help and are greatly appreciated!
I know I speak for all the staff when I say thank you and that we hope to see you all very soon once this subsides.
Organizer
Mikaela Milano
Organizer
Red Bank, NJ
