Diageo North America is working with New York's chief economic development agency Empire State Development to help restaurants in New York state to adjust to COVID-19-related requirements during the winter months when outdoor dining is limited by providing financial support.
Along with Coastal Pacific Wine & Spirits, which is a division of Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Diageo North America has provided financial support to the non-profit National Development Council (NDC), which will implement a restaurant recovery fund called "Raising the NYS Bar".
"Rasing The NYS Bar" Details
Diageo stated on its website that its "vision is that this fund will provide much-needed relief to such an important industry that serves as a vital part of the economic engine of local communities.
Diageo added, "Grant funding will be dispersed independently, by NDC, an experienced national economic non-profit that has been in operation since 1969."
Elaborating further on the "Raising the NYS Bar" fund on its website, Diageo said, "'Raising the NYS Bar' grant funding can be used for COVID-19-related improvements and equipment that will allow businesses to comply with social distancing guidelines, expand takeout/delivery operations or accommodate outdoor dining such as plexiglass barriers/partitions, signage promoting social distancing and hygiene protocols, heaters, heat lamps, weatherisation upgrades, and insulated delivery bags, [and add] improvements that will allow the business to continue operating through the winter months such as filtration system upgrades and food heaters to maintain temperature for to-go orders, and [the purchase of] PPE and sanitation supplies necessitated by the pandemic, [as well as] COVID-19-related business improvements like patio heaters or contactless technology.
"Eligible businesses can apply to the ‘Raising the NYS Bar’ restaurant recovery fund beginning Monday January 11th, 2021."
According to Diageo, Empire State Development said that more than $3 million in grant funding will be available, and eligible businesses can receive up to $5,000 for COVID-19-related measures.
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