Fieri’s Charity is Burning Up

At the start of the pandemic, Guy Fieri partnered with the National Restaurant Association and created the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund. Said fund has raised millions of dollars. Guy has certainly delivered on his goal of providing aid to struggling service industry workers. Business closures left thousands of restaurant employees unemployed and desperate. He, and many other partners, saw the need and got right to work donating. Fieri stated, “You know, so many people work in the restaurant industry in multiple jobs, second jobs, singly moms, single parents, students, retirees. And the restaurant industry is massively important to our communities…And so, when I saw this coming, I said, ‘We got to do something to get some money to these folks.’” As of today, the National Restaurant Association has raised $25 million.

The $25 million has been distributed to 43,000 restaurant workers, each receiving around $500. Service industry employees in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C. were represented in the recipient demographic. Further, 60% of recipients were women and 50% were people of color. 80% of those who received grants reported that they had a household income of less than $50,000 annually. 90% said that they would be using the money for essentials: rent, mortgage, utility bills, transportation costs, or childcare.

Fieri did not do this for recognition. He did this because he loves to connect with people. He understands that food has a great ability to enhance human interaction. When the pandemic finally ends, people will be more than ready to go out to eat and drink together again, and the service industry needs to be staffed and ready for when it is go-time.