Hundreds of Tulsa-area workers are seeing their hours or their jobs cut with restaurants limited to takeout and delivery service in several cities.
The Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation has launched a Tulsa Restaurant Employee Relief Fund to help them make ends meet.
"Our goal is to provide immediate relief to those restaurant workers who cannot make their hourly wages and to do so as quickly as possible," said LTFF President and CEO Elizabeth Frame Ellison.
LTFF has pledged a $100,000 matching challenge to help launch the fund, which will be managed by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association. ORA Director of Education Chandy Rice said the organization is also trying to get restaurant workers placed in jobs at grocery stores.
"Because as restaurant jobs have decreased, grocery jobs have increased. So, we’re just trying to find people a place to land for the time being until we see how this is going to play out," Rice said.
The fund will be used to make $1,000 grants directly to workers. Donations can be made through Mother Road Market's website. Applications for grants are at the ORA website. Applicants must be Tulsa County residents whose sole source of income is from the food and beverage industry and have at least one dependent.
