The economic impacts of COVID have been catastrophic not just to restaurant owners, but to employees in the food service industry, as well. The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the association and has risen to the challenge of helping restaurants and their employees stay afloat.

Today, the Foundation’s president, Rob Gifford, discusses some of the programs that were in progress pre-COVID as well as how the foundation expects to move forward with an eye for economic recovery and racial diversity. Rob also shares a success story of the foundation’s efforts to fundraise more than $20 million alongside Guy Fieri to directly help those whose jobs were impacted by COVID.

• [00:23] - Interview with Rob Gifford
• [00:51] - The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's mission
• [01:54] - Programs advancing the NRAEF cause
• [06:58] - Guy Fieri and the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund
• [11:20] - Moments of challenge & opportunity
• [15:34] - Getting out the message
• [19:27] - Donation demographics
• [21:38] - Stories from recipients
• [23:47] - Support Choose Restaurants

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This podcast episode was produced by Dante32.