State Grant To Help Struggling Restaurant, Hospitality Workers

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The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association has received a $2.5 million grant from the Michigan Department of Treasury to support restaurant and lodging industry workers who were financially hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. The association’s Amanda Smith tells WSJM News this has been a very rough year for those who work at restaurants, and more bad times could be coming.

“We’ve seen a lot of suffering,” Smith said. “Some restaurants have reopened at limited capacity. Some, unfortunately, did not reopen. The wonderful Michigan summer we just enjoyed is coming to an end and it’s starting to get colder, and without the patio outdoor seating, we’re going to see more people probably be laid off.”

The $2.5 million from the Michigan Treasury will work out to $500 payments to workers who receive help. Smith says workers who already received assistance through a similar program earlier this year don’t qualify for this round of payments. The application deadline is October 1, and the application page is right here.