Diageo North America Donates to the Seattle ‘Raising the Bar’ Recovery Fund to Help Reactivate the City’s Hospitality Industry
26 October 2021 - 4:00AM
Business Wire
The $2.5 million commitment will support
minority-owned small restaurants disproportionately harmed by the
pandemic
Eligible businesses can receive up to $7,500 in
grants
Diageo North America has committed $2.5 million to support small
minority-owned businesses in the hospitality industry through the
Seattle ‘Raising the Bar’ recovery fund, in partnership with
non-profit organizations Seattle Chinatown International District
Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda), Washington
Hospitality Association Education Foundation and Friends of Little
Saigon. Eligible businesses will receive a grant of up to $7,500
each.
While this fund will offer financial support to minority-owned
restaurants in the Seattle area and contribute to their recovery
from the impact of the pandemic, given the ethnic makeup of the
city, the program will facilitate resources to reach one of the
largest minority communities – the Asian-Americans and Pacific
Islanders – where racial disparities have magnified the impact on
their businesses.
“By partnering with local non-profit organizations, our purpose
is to support the revival of these small businesses and provide
relief to local communities who need it most. With the U.S. Small
Business Administration closing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund
in July, we are excited to step forward and fill that gap of grant
funding available to hospitality businesses getting back on their
feet,” said Danielle Robinson, Head of Corporate Responsibility,
Diageo North America. “We are proud to establish the Seattle
‘Raising the Bar’ recovery fund and support minority-owned
restaurant owners who continue to face challenges, even as the
hospitality industry begins to climb back.”
The $2.5 million donated by Diageo North America will be managed
and dispersed independently through SCIDpda to help the small
businesses recover from the impact of COVID-19. The Washington
Hospitality Association Education Foundation will amplify the
program and host the application process, supported with
translation services in six languages to applicants provided by
SCIDpda. Comprised of both organizations and the Friends of Little
Saigon, a selection committee will review and determine which
businesses qualify for grants.
“The last 19 months of the pandemic have underscored the
language barriers that many businesses in our community face when
accessing resources. We are thankful to Diageo and the Washington
Hospitality Association for helping make this opportunity happen,”
said Jamie Lee, Director of Community Initiatives,
SCIDpda.
"Hospitality has been the hardest-hit by the pandemic, with
thousands of restaurants closed permanently in our state. And
racial disparities as well as language barriers have only worsened
that impact. We are proud to partner to help bring relief to
struggling businesses,” said Anthony Anton, President & CEO
of the Washington Hospitality Association.
As part of Diageo’s U.S. Community Fund, the company became a
founding contributor of the ‘Raising the New York State Bar’
Restaurant Recovery Fund to help businesses adjust to pandemic
requirements, and financially supported recovery efforts for
Chicago neighborhoods to help create more public spaces. In
addition, many of the company’s brands -including Bulleit, Crown
Royal, Seagram's 7 Crown, Don Julio, Guinness and Ketel One, among
others- have led various initiatives to help the hospitality
industry and those whose livelihoods were directly impacted.
Eligible businesses can apply to the Seattle ‘Raising the Bar’
recovery fund starting October 29th, at 10:00 am PST through
November 19th at 5:00 pm PST. To learn more about the fund and the
application process, visit
https://scidpda.org/recoveryfund/.
About Diageo North America
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an
outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown
Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel
One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain
Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO)
and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are
sold in more than 180 countries around the world.
For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and
performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global
responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information,
initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow at Twitter and
Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America:
@Diageo_NA.
About the Seattle Chinatown International District
Preservation and Development Authority
Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and
Development Authority (SCIDpda) is a community development
organization whose mission is to preserve, promote, and develop the
Seattle Chinatown International District (CID) as a vibrant
community and unique ethnic neighborhood. Formed by the community
in 1975, SCIDpda works to revitalize and preserve the neighborhood
by providing services in three primary areas: affordable housing
and commercial property management, community economic development
and community engagement, and real estate development. SCIDpda has
45-plus years of experience in increasing neighborhood
sustainability through innovative programs and projects that
balance development and preservation. scidpda.org.
About the Washington Hospitality Association
Hospitality is the industry that serves. The Washington
Hospitality Association delivers wins for the largest group of
private employers in the state, and the 220,800 jobs the industry
provides are the backbone of our state’s economy. The association
works at the state and local levels to find proactive solutions to
the challenging issues facing the industry and its workforce. It
provides its members with programs, services and information they
need to deliver great local experiences, ensure the success of
their employees and help their communities thrive. The Washington
Hospitality Association became one of the state’s largest trade
associations in 2016 when the Washington Restaurant Association and
Washington Lodging Association joined forces in a combined
association.
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Media: Luis Carlos Rabago Luis.Rabago@diageo.com (203)
690-0860
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