Share

On April 12th, HEINZ announced their partnership with nonprofit restaurant equality organization The LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice (SRRJ). This partnership is a collective effort to preserve the legacy of Black-owned restaurants through a grant program and other resources to help sustain long-term business health and success. “Black-owned restaurants are critically important to communities across the country, and we saw this as an opportunity to help ensure these businesses thrive for years to come.”, said Molly White, general manager and VP, Taste Elevation, Kraft Heinz.

The partnership will start with the distribution of 60 grants through SRRJ which is a coalition of industry leaders working to benefit Black-owned restaurants and communities.

Below includes some of the ways HEINZ and The LEE Initiative intend on supporting Black-owned restaurants financially and through resources:

  • Financial support up to $20,000 per grant
  • Broadening restaurants’ reach through owner story spotlights on HEINZ-owned social media channels and paid publishing channel partners to generate awareness and drive traffic to their restaurants.
  • Leveraging HEINZ employee resources and business expertise to further support the longevity of Black-owned restaurants and entrepreneurship, such as assistance, training and resources in human resources, finance, marketing and more.

Chef Edward Lee, co-founder of The LEE Initiative, said “Black-owned restaurants, especially traditional, family-owned ones, are especially at risk right now. We are excited to partner with HEINZ—an American classic— to identify and help preserve many of these incredible Black-owned restaurants that are also at the heart of the classic American dinner table.”

Restaurant owners can apply for the grant now through May 8th here.

 

Featured image courtesy of HEINZ and the LEE Initiative