Happy Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

What a year it has been folks! As we inch closer to the end of the year and hopefully an end to the Covid-19 Pandemic, I would like to take a few moments to share how thankful I am this holiday season. First of all, I would like to send condolences and prayers to everyone that has suffered a loss of a loved one to this horrific virus. As someone who lost his own mother just a year prior to this pandemic, I couldn’t imagine the pain that many are going through, as they deal with absence of the ones they love, especially during the Holidays. For me, it’s times  like these that we really must reflect on what’s most important, taking care of each other and putting our petty differences aside.  You see my friends, this Covid virus has robbed many people of everything they hold dear. While many have been able to transition from going to their workplace to working from home, others have lost everything. Abrupt closures, inconsistent reopenings, changes in public healthguidance for operations and other state-mandated orders have pushed the food service industry to the brink. We continue to struggle to come to terms with the mandated shut-downs, the denial of going to our place of worship, and the impending fear of “what might happen next.”  Here’s a few facts from a report provided by Yelp, in a July study, Yelp revealed the stark reality of permanent closures for an alarming number of restaurants, which already ran on thin margins.  The review site’s latest Local Economic Impact Report, released in late July, showed that 60% of the restaurants that temporarily closed due to the pandemic have since shuttered for good  There were 26,160 total restaurant closures on Yelp as of July 10 and 15,770 of those have made the decision permanent, according to Yelp. As I have personally felt the impact of the service industry basically shutting down, I find myself like many others, wondering what to do next?  Restaurants have lost more revenue and jobs than any other industry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A survey from the National Restaurant Association in June showed food service lost nearly $120 billion in sales during just the first three months of the pandemic. Many small business have had to adapt or completely change how they do business, and those that don’t have the capital to invest in new equipment or the capacity to make the necessary changes, the struggle is almost insurmountable. In addition to the grim reality for restaurants, bars and clubs have endured an especially high closure rate as a result of coronavirus.  The bar and nightlife industry, which is six times smaller than the restaurant industry, tallied 5,454 total business closures — 2,429 of which are permanent — according to Yelp.  Many food service workers have been forced to abandon the industry and search for a way to bring their skills to a new working environment. Many have turned to the retail side of food service, filling open positions in the grocery stores and other food retail environments. Some have turned to the health care industry, taking positions in hospitals and assisted living communities. However, this also comes with a price. With small work places, tiny break rooms, and working with an already higher-risk population, these workers have become the front line recipients of the pandemic. In an effort to provide relief to essential workers, ranging from doctors and nurses to delivery drivers and janitorial staff, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and California Rep. Ro Khanna proposed an Essential Workers Bill of Rights earlier this summer  that they hope will be included in the next federal coronavirus relief package. The policies within include providing health and safety protections, higher compensation and universal paid sick leave.  So, with all of this being said, we must continue to be diligent in our efforts to diminish the rising spread of the pandemic, be conscious of  our actions, and try to do our best to help those that need a new job or career. We must be willing to teach new skills to those that need them and  offer any assistance we can.  Above all, be kind to one another. It’s times like these that we must truly be thankful for what we have, EACH OTHER.