Massive California wildfires, from the north near Sacramento to the south near Los Angeles, continue to ravage the state, with nearly 60 people confirmed dead and thousands of structures destroyed as of Thursday. Restaurants large and small, of course, have been in the path of the destruction.
It’s unclear how many restaurants have been affected by the fires, according to the California Restaurant Association.
The state association runs a nonprofit foundation that administers an emergency fund called Restaurants Care. The fund provides grants for restaurant workers facing unanticipated hardship.
“Restaurant workers can be impacted by wildfire in several ways, including losing their home, or losing their place of work to the fire, leading to lost wages,” Sharokina Shams, vice president of public affairs for the California Restaurant Association, told Restaurant Business.
Affected restaurant workers are encouraged to apply for grants, Shams said. And those who are able are encouraged to make donations or hold fundraisers in support of the California Restaurant Association Foundation.
Many restaurants have been destroyed or damaged in the fires, and many in the industry are already responding to calls for help in the wake of the wildfires, according to media reports, including:
- Malibu restaurant Kristy’s Roadhouse Malibu, as well as a KFC, Taco Bell, Burger King and McDonald’s near Chico, Calif., were destroyed.
- Chefs Tyler Florence and Jose Andres, as part of Andres’ World Central Kitchen relief organization, have been cooking for evacuees affected by the Camp Fire in Northern California.
- Celebrity chef Guy Fieri has helped prepare food for first responders near the Camp Fire.
- The staff of Tavern 101 Grill & Tap House in Agoura Hills, Calif., has been cooking meals for firefighters and paramedics.
- A Shake Shack in Westlake Village donated all of its daily proceeds to the Ventura County Community Foundation.
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