Guy Fieri Partners With Big Companies And Raises $21.5 Million For Restaurant Workers Who Lost Their Jobs [Video]

• Guy Fieri decided to help restaurant workers affected by the lockdowns due to the virus.
• Through the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF), he has raised $21.5 million to be granted to people in need.
• He partnered with many celebrities and big companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, Netflix, TikTok, and more.

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Once again, Guy Fieri has stepped up to help people in the middle of COVID-19 pandemic. He raised more than $20 million intended for the restaurant workers who were laid off from their jobs during this current health crisis. His relief efforts have already given assistance to tens of thousands of people and he has no plans of stopping soon.

On Friday, the famous American restaurateur, announced another set of 10,000 new grants to restaurant workers through his Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF) which has partnered with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

Since the launching of the initiative last month, the foundation has already approved 40,000 grants, says Fieri in an interview with TMZ Live a few days ago.

“I started thinking about my brothers and sisters in the restaurant business, and a bunch of restaurants that I was closing — we gotta do something,” he said. 

In only less than two months since the lockdowns have started, the foundation has already raised $21.5 million for the workers in the restaurant businesses. 

Fieri said he has sent videos and asked for help from the CEOs of big companies like The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Uber Eats and others. More than 40 famous brands and celebrities have pitched in their contributions. Among them are Food Network, Corona, Live Nation, Netflix, TikTok, and many more. 

“As long as the money comes in, we’re gonna continue to give these grants,” he said.

As of April, around 29 million Americans have lost their source of living with the closure of many businesses due to the novel coronavirus. The restaurant industry alone suffered billions of losses and is still uncertain how or when it could recover. 

So far, 40,000 beneficiaries have received $500 each and those who wish to apply can file it through the RERF website. Although right now, with the outstanding 60,000 applications, RERF has halted temporarily from accepting new applicants.

“I think people are gonna be fired up, gung-ho and ready to get out there and visit their restaurants a lot more than they were prior to the pandemic,” Fieri said.

Source: CBS News