The Ohio Restaurant Association Education Foundation (ORAEF), in collaboration with the Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA), has formed the Ohio Restaurant Employee Relief Fund to activate emergency funding for personnel in the foodservice industry affected by COVID-19.

“The newest ORA data confirms the economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic on the restaurant sector is severe, with more than 80 percent of owners/operators reporting sales down significantly,” said ORA President & CEO John Barker in a prepared statement. "Overall, more than 6.6 million U.S. workers filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, on top of 3.3 million a week earlier, marking unprecedented devastation across the labor market, and we know a significant portion of those laid off are restaurant employees. With this new fund, we can all work together to support people in Ohio’s restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry and help make it vibrant again.”

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