How South Florida’s Hospitality Industry Is Supporting Each Other Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak

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In the span of just a few weeks, Miami’s thriving hospitality scene has come to just short of a screeching halt. With the temporary closing of city’s bars, restaurants, and even hotels, many members of the community are now out of work and are scrambling to figure out how they are going to continue to support themselves and their families.

There’s no estimate on how long the novel coronavirus pandemic will continue, but luckily there are several businesses and brands stepping up to assist those in need. Here are some ways that people have been lending a helping hand in Miami.

April 17

Frontline Foods Miami benefits local restaurants while serving essential workers

National organization, Frontline Foods, has made its way to Miami. Using donations Frontline Foods pays participating restaurants an average of $15-$20 per meal, to produce and deliver individually wrapped meals, complimentary to hospitals to show appreciation to health care heroes. Some Miami restaurants participating are Brad Kilgore’s Alter Q, Stiltsville, Root & Bone, Blackbrick Chinese, Blue Collar, Eating House, Baby Jane, The Daily Creative Co., Dos Croquetas, and Jaguar Sun are serving various hospitals around the city including Jackson Health Systems, Mount Sinai, Coral Gables Hospital, North Shore Medical Center, Hialeah Hospital, and Palmetto General Hospital. For more information and to make a donation, visit here.

SOBEWFF & Chaplin Hospitality Industry Relief Fund

The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) has launched the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund to provide immediate financial support to independently owned and operated restaurants and bars impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Grants will be provided to those who have had to temporarily cease operations, lay off employees, or whose businesses have been severely diminished due to locally mandated closure orders. The Fund will initially support the hundreds of restaurants and bars that have participated at SOBEWFF® within the past five years. Support here.

Grateful Hospitality Nourishment Fund

For every $14 donation made, Grateful Hospitality, led by Blackbrick Chinese and Sakaya Kitchen’s Richard Hales, will prepare a meal for a front line worker and match that donation by preparing a second meal for a second medical staff member. The goal is to keep them well fed when the last thing on their mind is eating.

Donations will go directly to distributing meals to different front line organizations around South Florida. Donate here.

Ghee partners with Niman Ranch to serve family meal

Ghee and Niman Ranch want to help and give back to those impacted by the devastating loss of jobs by offering a free “family meal”. Meals are available for pre-order. Each ticket is for one to-go container and will feed two people. Pickup will take place at Ghee Dadeland on Saturday 4/18 in set time slots with social distancing for everyone’s safety. All slots are currently full, but more dates will be announced in the future. Register here.

March 23

Beat Culture Brewery offers free meals to anyone in need

Beat Culture Brewery is offering free food daily from 3 to 8 p.m. for as long as supplies last. Limit one meal per person. “In times of panic and uncertainty, we all have to do what we can to keep the community together,” says co-founder and head brewer Erik Durr.

Grails Miami and Spanglish Meal Donation Program

This duo of Wynwood bars is offering a special menu featuring a combination of items from both venues, offering a starter and entrée for $15 per person. Every meal that Grails and Spanglish sell will be matched with a donated meal by the restaurant to an out-of-work hospitality worker or a person in need. They have also partnered with several beverage brands to deliver meals to Lotus House, Miami Rescue Mission, Common Threads, Mercy Hospital, and more. The goal is to serve 5,000 total donated meals during this time. Call (786) 870-4313 to place a curbside takeout order, or order through UberEats, GrubHub, and Postmates.

Sedano’s creates jobs for Versailles and La Carreta staff

Due to temporary closures, many employees from iconic Cuban restaurants Versailles and La Carreta are now out of jobs. The South Florida supermarket chain, Sedano’s, is stepping in to create 400 temporary full-time and part-time jobs throughout the tri-county area and its 30 locations to help those employees during this challenging time. Those job opportunities can be found here.

GoFundMe fundraisers created for displaced hospitality workers

Throughout the past week, several GoFundMe fundraisers have appeared online to help the South Florida community and provide financial support for hourly employees that are unemployed or furloughed because of citywide closures. Below are a few of the ways to donate:

(Note: these fundraisers haven’t been independently vetted by Eater.)

USBG Bartender Emergency Assistance Program provides relief to local bartenders

Miami is home to the nation’s third largest chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG), a national non-profit foundation that’s focused on educating bartenders. During times of crisis, the USBG Bartender Emergency Assistance Program is able to give grants to those who are affected by a hardship of any sort. The USBG has created a COVID-19 Relief Campaign that has seen several large donations over the last week including from Ilegal Mezcal which pledged $50,000, Jameson which pledged $500,000, and major spirits portfolio, Diageo, which pledged $1 million. Plus, Miami-based Coconut Cartel rum has committed to donating all profits from online bottle sales through April 1 to the program.

Family meals sponsored by various liquor brand ambassadors

Pernod Ricard (think: Jameson, The Glenlivet, Altos, Absolut, and more) is offering meals for affected industry members at local restaurants each Friday. The meals are first-come first-serve and can be reserved through Miami’s various local brand ambassadors. Some of the restaurants who have already served said meals include Jaguar Sun, Macchialina, Grails Miami, DC Pie Co, and Beaker & Gray.