– Ten local restaurants on the Central Coast have received $5,000 grants through the California Restaurant Foundation’s (CRF) Restaurants Care Resilience Fund. The fund, now in its third year, is supported by a $1 million donation from SoCalGas, among other California utility companies. The grants aim to help small businesses in diverse and underserved communities across California by providing financial assistance for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardships, employee retention bonuses, and employee training.

The following Central Coast restaurants were among the grant recipients:

• Paso Robles Wine Merchant, Paso Robles
• Beachin’ Biscuits, Pismo Beach
• Pizza Republic, San Luis Obispo
• Gino’s Pizza, San Luis Obispo
• Les Petites Canailles, Paso Robles
• The Spoon Trade, Grover Beach
• Antigua Brewing Company, San Luis Obispo
• The Rib Line, Pismo Beach
• Central Coast Distillery, Atascadero

This year, the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund distributed a total of $2.1 million, marking the largest amount to date in terms of overall funding, individual grant sizes, and grant utilization, according to a press release. SoCalGas’ donation of $1 million played a significant role in supporting these grants.

“With the generosity of SoCalGas, the Resilience Fund helped California’s independent restaurant community for a third consecutive year,” said Alycia Harshfield, executive director of CRF. “It’s apparent that there is still a significant need for restaurant assistance, as we received 25% more applications this year than last. While these grants will allow local restaurant owners to build more resilient businesses, we also hope to inspire Californians to support their vibrant local restaurant community in any way they can, whether that’s through dining, sharing on social media or spreading the word to friends and family.”

“SoCalGas and the California Restaurant Foundation are truly creating a positive impact on the lives of small business owners, their employees, and the communities these restaurants serve,” Assemblymember Mike Gipson said, “Through this fund, SoCalGas is helping our favorite local restaurants be successful now and long into the future.”

Of the 89 grant recipients, 64% identify as female, and 84% as people of color. Approximately 64% of the grant funds will be used for equipment and technology upgrades, while 36% will be allocated to unforeseen hardships, employee training, and employee bonuses.

To qualify for the grants, restaurants needed to have five units or fewer and generate less than $3 million in revenue.

The fund has provided financial assistance to nearly 1,000 independent restaurants across California over the last three years. The fund is currently accepting additional support from corporations, foundations, and individuals who wish to invest in California’s restaurant community. Donations of all sizes are accepted at www.restaurantscare.org/resilience.

For more information about the California Restaurant Foundation or the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, visit www.restaurantscare.org.