A total of 92 restaurants across the state were awarded $5,000 grants from the Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) and DoorDash, the CRA announced Thursday.
The pandemic-relief grants cover operating costs and are administered by the Connecticut Hospitality Educational Foundation, the CRA’s nonprofit arm. Expenses including the purchase of protective equipment and expanding outdoor dining capacity are eligible.
“The restaurant industry has been hit so hard over the past year, and it’s critical we save as many local restaurants as possible so they can be part of Connecticut’s post-COVID economic recovery,” CRA Executive Director Scott Dolch said.
Delivery platform DoorDash funded the grants as part of its Main Street Strong Pledge, a $10 million grant program in select cities.
In Hartford, restaurants awarded grants included City Steam Brewery, Fiddleheads Café, The Tavern Downtown, The Russell, Black Eyed Sally’s, and Vaughan’s Public House.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal was scheduled to visit West Hartford’s Zohara restaurant on Friday with Dolch and Mayor Shari Cantor to highlight federal pandemic aid for restaurants.
Almost $30 billion is set aside for restaurants nationwide under the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law on Thursday by President Biden.