Anchorage Restaurant Rescue Program Announces 16 New Participants
Photo 140588569 © Kittichai Boonpong – Dreamstime.com
Sixteen restaurants have been selected by lottery to participate in the new round of the Anchorage Restaurant Rescue program.
The program, a partnership of the Municipality of Anchorage, the Alaska Hospitality Retailers Association, and United Way of Anchorage, began on November 2, 2020.
Restaurants have provided both premade and hot meals to children, families, and seniors through nonprofits from Kids Corps Head Start classes to people in senior housing.
The purpose is a threefold response to the economic crash of the COVID-19 pandemic: Provide desperately needed revenue to struggling restaurants, keep restaurant workers employed, and provide high-quality meals to people in need throughout the community.
By all accounts, round one of the program has succeeded on all three fronts.
At the end of 2020, sixteen restaurants had provided 41,220 meals to thirty-two sites in Anchorage—far more than the original estimate of 30,000.
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“It’s made an unbelievable difference in our business,” says David McCarthy, CEO of 49th State Brewing Company, whose crews provided meals to Kids Corps Inc. and Safe Harbor. “The program means a lot more than people think. It’s really giving people hope on both sides of this. You’re keeping people working and helping people with it.”
The wide-reaching positive impact of the program is the foundation of why the municipality allocated $600,000 and the Alaska Community Foundation contributed $125,000 to extend the work that ended in December.
Sixteen winning applicants were chosen by lottery on Friday, January 8, five of which are owned by minorities. The winners: Sullivan’s, Mo’s Deli, Wild Fork, Middle Way, Tequila 61, Subway Girdwood, Anchorage Cider House, Mr. Darryl’s Southern BBQ, Humpy’s, Bridge Seafood, Anchorage Ale House, Fancy Moose, Oriental Garden, Cassie’s Place, Top Bop, and Burrito King.
Restaurant Rescue meals service resumed Monday, January 11, with initial requests for 4,420 meals to eighteen sites serving low-income children, youth, families, seniors, and people experiencing disabilities.
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