Baltimore's culinary scene, already rocking from the aftershocks of a global pandemic, faces another hurdle with the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and Governor Wes Moore, in collaboration with DoorDash and the Restaurant Association of Maryland, has announced a new lifeline aimed to bolster the struggling local eateries. According to Fox Baltimore, DoorDash is set to inject $100,000 in relief grants for eligible Baltimore-area restaurants. This funding is designed to cover vital operating expenses, including rent, payroll, and mortgages, aiming to sustain community staples in the wake of recent events.
According to WMAR-2 News, the relief grants are part of DoorDash's Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund. This fund aims to help restaurants affected by the Key Bridge collapse, which has hurt business owners, employees, customers, and the broader Baltimore community. The economic impact of such disasters can last more than six months, and some businesses may take over a year to recover to their previous levels, as detailed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
To be eligible for the grant, establishments must validate the impact of the Key Bridge closure on their business. They must operate between one and three brick-and-mortar locations, employ fewer than 50 people per site, have been open for no less than six months, and report revenues not exceeding $3 million per location in the last 12 months, with applications due by December 2. "DoorDash is honored to be working with Governor Moore and the Restaurant Association of Maryland in our shared purpose to help these beloved local restaurants continue to recover and connect with the best of their neighborhoods," Tony Xu, CEO and co-founder of DoorDash, expressed in a statement reported by WMAR-2 News.
To apply or for more details on the grant and discounts, interested parties are directed to the DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund website.
