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On Tuesday, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association launched a disaster relief fund designed to help hospitality {industry} owners and staff after Hurricane Ian. Hotel and restaurant owners in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties can apply.
Through the FRLA Educational Foundation, the {industry} commerce association has made grants accessible of as much as $10,000 for unbiased eating places and lodging institutions, which incorporates motels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts.
Eligible institutions embrace these owned by a company, restricted legal responsibility partnership, basic partnerships or sole proprietorship and some franchised places. Recipients are additionally required to allocate no less than one-third of the disaster relief funds to help their staff, in line with a press launch.
Related news: A month left for SBA help, click this link.
Carol Dover, who leads the commerce association, mentioned federal disaster relief, like Volunteer Florida and the Red Cross, is critical after a storm like Ian, however it could possibly additionally overlook industry-specific wants.
“We wanted to have something that would go immediately and specifically to the hotel and restaurant industry,” she mentioned.
Dover traveled along with her staff to survey damages on the bottom in Southwest Florida two weeks after Ian made landfall.
“I’ve been down there myself,” she mentioned. “I’ve put boots on the ground in the last several weeks, and it’s pretty devastating.”
In some instances, Dover mentioned storefronts have been utterly flattened. But for enterprise owners with real-estate that’s nonetheless standing, the hurricane has amplified present provide chain disruptions.
“One of the major problems is restaurant equipment,” she mentioned. “Even before the hurricane, you could be looking at a year or more to receive [equipment] because of all the supply challenges our country is going through. And this has just made it worse.”
Gabriella Paul covers the tales of individuals dwelling paycheck to paycheck in the larger Tampa Bay area for WUSF. She’s additionally a Report for America corps member. Here’s how one can share your story along with her.
Copyright 2022 WUSF Public Media – WUSF 89.7.
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