Over the holidays, dozens of hardworking people were put in an impossible position.

Employees and contractors who worked at Gusto Italian Kitchen, Gina’s on Congress, and Gracia Mediterranean were expecting their wages just before Christmas. Instead, multiple payroll checks were returned unpaid on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, leaving many workers with negative bank balances, overdraft fees, and no income during the holidays.

Since then, the owner has stopped responding to calls and messages. As a result, the people who showed up every day, served the community, and kept these businesses running have been left without the money they earned.

While legal steps are underway to address this situation, legal processes take time—and bills, rent, food, and bank fees do not wait.

This fundraiser exists for one reason: to help make workers whole.

Every dollar raised will go directly toward paying the wages owed to the staff and contractors who were affected. These are cooks, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, event staff, and support workers who relied on this income and were blindsided at the worst possible time of year.

The community has always supported these restaurants. Now we are asking for support for the people behind them—the ones who were left to deal with the consequences of someone else’s failure.

If you can donate, share, or help in any way, it will make an immediate difference for families who are still dealing with the fallout of this situation.

Thank you for standing with the workers.