Restaurant industry expert discusses grant program to revitalize restaurants :: WRAL.com

AT RALEIGH LESLIE MORENO WRAL NEWS. >>> THIS WEEK OPEN OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM. THE NEW FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM INCLUDES FUNDING TO HELP PAYROLL, BENEFITS, SICK LEAVE, MORTGAGES, RENT, UTILITIES, MAINTENANCE, OUTSIDE SEATS AND PPE. FOOD AND BEVERAGE SUPPLIES AND OPERATING COSTS. JOIN US THIS EVENING TO TALK ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THE OTHER CHALLENGES THE FOOD INDUSTRY IS TAKING UP AS WE BEGIN TO RETURN TO HIGHLY HIGH STANDARDS. THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOUSING ASSOCIATION. I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND HEAR FROM SPONSORS AND EMPLOYEES OF BUSINESS OWNERS. THEY ARE READY TO WELCOME PEOPLE, BUT THEY DON’T JUST HAVE THE STAFF. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE FOR THEM? >> WELL DEBRA WE HEAR THAT IN ALL STATE AS WE HAVE HEARD FROM TOURISTS FROM ALL OVER NORTH CAROLINA TOO. AND WHO LITERALLY POST JOBS, CONDUCT INTERVIEWS IF THEY RECEIVE APPLICATIONS, OFFER JOBS TO EIGHT PEOPLE TO APPLY, ONE FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY. I HEAR THIS STORY EVERY DAY. JUST A REAL CHALLENGE TO GET THEM BACK TO WORK. AND MANY ARE DOING INNOVATIVE THINGS LIKE BREWERY, IF IT’S JUST BEFORE ME. BUT WAGES HAVE NEVER BEEN HIGHER IN OUR INDUSTRY. THEY OFFER MORE MONEY, HAVING INCENTIVES, BENEFITS, FLEXIBLE HOURS. EVEN THERE, THEY DO NOT RETURN. MANY WHO WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY HAVE FOUND JOBS IN OTHER LOCATIONS. WE REALLY HAVE A CHALLENGE IN ATTRACTING NEW WORKERS TO THE WORKPLACE. >> AND HOW DO YOU THINK THE GRANT MONEY CAN HELP YOU? SHOULD THE RESTAURANT USE IT TO OFFER HIGHER INCENTIVE COMPENSATION? >> FOR THE RESTAURANT FUND, THOSE WHO HAVE READ THROUGH NORTH CAROLINA, THE TAXABLE TURNOVER FOR OUR INDUSTRY ONLY IS DOWN 20%. WE LOST APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION DOLLARS. DURING THE REST OF OUR STATE ECONOMY HAS EXTREMELY WELL DONE, OUR NORTH CAROLINA ECONOMY HAS BEEN IN PANDEMIC. SO IT IS REALLY THE RESTAURANTS, BARS, HOTELS THAT HAVE SUFFERED, WE ARE REALLY PROUD THAT THEY CAN NOW APPLY FOR A SUBSIDY FUND THROUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS MUCH MORE A WELCOME RELIEF. BUT THE CHALLENGE, DEBRA, WE EXPECT THESE DOLLARS TO WASTE QUICKLY. $ 28 MILLION IS NOT ENOUGH. WE HAVE ASKED APPROXIMATELY $ 130 MILLION. THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THIS INVESTMENT, PERHAPS THE CONVENTION WILL ALLOW MORE DOLLARS BECAUSE THE NEED IS SO GREAT. MANY OF THEM ARE IN HUGE DEBT. WE HAVE TO WORK HARD TO ENSURE THEY OCCUR. >> ABSOLUTELY. VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE I HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS. WHEN I WAS A TEEN A LOT OF MY FRIENDS HAD JOBS IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY. I DON’T SEEM TO SEE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WAITING FOR TABLES, YOU KNOW, DOING THIS KIND OF WORK. ARE YOU TRYING TO MAYBE WAITING YOUNGEST TO MEET JOB NEEDS NOW? >> WE ARE, DEBRA. WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD, EVEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, TO TRY TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO CAREERS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. WE WANT JOBS IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR TO BE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. AS IT STARTS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE OTHER STATES HAVE DONE AMAZING WORK WITH CAREERS, TECHNICAL TRAINING, TRYING TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO CAREER INDUSTRIES. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO BUILD THESE HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TO EXPAND OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAMS. THIS IS REALLY PRESENTING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR INDUSTRY TO CITIZENS ALL OVER OUR STATE. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO WORK IN OUR INDUSTRY. THE SALARIES ARE THEREFORE AT THE HIGHEST AND THE BENEFITS ARE IMPORTANT. >> GREAT TO HEAR. PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE RESTAURANT AND HOUSING OF NORTH CAROLINE