YGK Restaurant Workers Relief Fund II

We're back! IG: @ygkrwrf

 

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Entering the fourth closure of indoor dining in two years, the savings I relied on in previous lockdowns have significantly lessened. I have built my life’s work in the hospitality industry and yet, my life keeps moving while our careers stand still.

 

I am the mother of a three year old child, I am going through a divorce and it’s winter in Ontario in this draughty downtown corridor (thank goodness for outdoor dining though ). We stand still, but the cost of living keeps rising and the bills keep coming.

 

We are offered a compensation of $300 per week or $1080 per month, after taxes (and it’s not an easy application - who else waited 1 hour for the CRA to pick up?). For rent, groceries, utilities, phones and internet. With current inflation, there are very few places in this country a family can live on that amount. We are essential but overlooked. We cannot keep up, we cannot recover.

 

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So, I find myself asking for your help once again on behalf of hospitality workers of Kingston. Every dollar raised by the YGK Restaurant Workers Relief Fund (YGKRWRF) goes to applicants in the local hospitality industry. Surplus funding will be donated to the Partners in Mission Foodbank.

 

WHAT WE ARE DOING

Kingston is an incredibly beautiful and unique city filled with proud hospitality professionals. These workers are responsible for creating and upholding the hubs of social life, culture and culinary art that are so intertwined with our identities both as Kingstonians, and to loving visitors.

 

Many of these restaurant workers are finding themselves unable to meet their financial obligation due to a loss of income directly caused by COVID 19. In an effort to assist restaurant workers and their immediate families obtain essential needs, we will be directly transferring $150 as a one time payment. 

 

The Kingston Restaurant Workers Relief Fund is not meant to replace CWLB/EI payments or income. We encourage all applicants to apply for the CWLB/EI.

 

The Kingston Restaurant Workers Relief Fund has been created to aid restaurant employees, but we are happy to promote your restaurant on our Instagram account @ygkrwrf or our Facebook page Kingston Restaurant Workers Relief Fund. Send us an email! 

 

DONATING

We are reliant on individual donations. Every $150 donated aids one worker.

 

APPLYING 

Send us a DM on Instagram requesting our email address. Then email us from the email account you would like the funds delivered to with the subject “Relief Fund Application”. (Continued in next section) 

 

WHAT WE WILL NEED

What we will need from you is a photo of your last paycheque as proof of employment - please hide any personal information such as salary, home address, etc. All we need to see is your name, date of payment and the name of the restaurant you work at.

 

**All information provided in the application is strictly confidential. However, we will be keeping your information for bookkeeping purposes, so please indicate whether or not you give us your consent to save your information**

 

Email us with answers to the following questions:

 

Do you have any dependents (ie, children, elderly parents/grandparents, spouse)?

What is your family size, including yourself?

Are you receiving the EI/CWLB?

Do you have any additional methods of income?

Have you received funding from us before? 

 

These applications will be approved/declined based on the provided questionnaire and funds will then be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

 

If you are selected for relief funding, we will contact you at the end of our fundraiser to let you know. There is a buffer period as we wait for the funds from GoFundMe, so please be patient with us!

 

APPLICANTS: you are required to read these rules/regulations and send us ALL the information that we have requested. An incomplete form will not be considered. If you have any questions, or need help filling out a form, feel free to ask! 

 

This program is intended to help cover the costs of essential needs for individuals and families heavily impacted by restaurant closures in our community, and we request that only those who are affected apply.

 

Applications are not open yet. We are currently preparing for the next round of applicants, follow our pages for more information on opening.

 

Last Updated: January 7, 2022

Original Fundraiser (Part 1, now closed): https://gofund.me/6efe10cf