A worldwide initiative to help restaurant owners impacted by natural disasters is slowly making its way to Yellowknife.
And it wonSA国际影视传媒檛 arrive a moment too soon for several of the owners whose businesses are hanging by a thread.
For the first time since the inception of the program in 2021, DoorDash, a food delivery service, in partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, has extended a grant program into Canada to provide financial assistance to entrepreneurs who have faced challenging circumstances due to adversity.
Four food establishments SA国际影视传媒� Safari Foods Family Restaurant and Lounge, Birchwood Coffee Ko, Fishy People Inc., Mainstreet Donair and Falafel SA国际影视传媒� will get $10,000 grants apiece from the companySA国际影视传媒檚 Canadian Disaster Relief fund due to the wildfire evacuation of the city in August.
At a standstill
Sue Luyombo, owner of Safari Foods Family Restaurant, said while the DoorDash money will be helpful, the wait for it to arrive and the lack of readily available relief from other local sources has left her no choice but to remain closed during a time when she should be preparing for the festive season ahead.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was actually excited because when I came back, think things have been very, very, very rough. Very rough. I was expecting to get that money on (Nov.) 15th, like they said, so I could reopen the restaurant, but nothing has happened,SA国际影视传媒� Luyombo said of the DoorDash grant.
SA国际影视传媒淪o the restaurant is still closed until I receive the money and then I can go and buy the products.SA国际影视传媒�
While her eatery opened briefly after returning from the evacuation, Luyombo said she soon had to close her doors due to staff leaving.
And frustration continues to build for the restaurateur, as she said she is being told by other local sources of business relief funding that she does not qualify for assistance because she does not have enough receipts. She said it has been impossible to order weekly supplies as she did prior to evacuation due to uncertainty about how many customers would return and whether there would be another evacuation.
SA国际影视传媒淲hy should I stay here? The local government is not going to help me. Why should I stay open? ISA国际影视传媒檓 trying to do what I can. I literally want to cry because I am so, so tired,SA国际影视传媒� Luyombo said, choking back tears.
Meanwhile, with rent due, bills to pay, and a closed sign on the restaurant door, not knowing when she will receive the DoorDash assistance has left her without a solid plan to prepare for ordering supplies and reopening, she said.
Business suffering
Across the way at Mainstreet Donair and Falafel, owner Yousry Abdelmegid said his business is also suffering and he, too, is waiting for the DoorDash grant to arrive.
SA国际影视传媒淏ecause I got nothing until that SA国际影视传媒� not from ITI (Industry, Tourism and Investment), BDIC (Business Development and Investment Corporation),SA国际影视传媒� he said of being denied assistance from other possible revenue sources that would help keep his business operating.
Meanwhile, at Birchwood Coffee Ko, owner Jawah Scott said she, too, was waiting for the grant to arrive. After Covid, peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 spending habits changed, making it difficult to get back to business as usual, she noted.
SA国际影视传媒淭he people that used to come in three times a day will come in once a day instead. They just donSA国际影视传媒檛 have that extra spending money,SA国际影视传媒� Scott said.
She said Yellowknife is already a hard market in which to operate a business but the past three years have made it even more so, and the DoorDash funding will be welcomed.
SA国际影视传媒淎nything will help at this point. It was definitely a hard hit to be closed for three weeks and not be able to function as normal. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been definitely one of the harder years that weSA国际影视传媒檝e had,SA国际影视传媒� Scott said.
The fourth recipient of the grant, Fishy People, could not be reached for comment as their Facebook page indicates they have temporary closed due to building issues.
In an email, Brian Kaufmann, head of Canada policy and government relations for DoorDash said they were proud to do their part in supporting businesses recover.
SA国际影视传媒淒oorDash is committed to helping Canadian restaurants in the aftermath of this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 devastating wildfires,SA国际影视传媒� he stated.
When asked when the Yellowknife businesses might receive the funds, Kathryn Forrest, director for communications at Global Entrepreneurship Network, indicated in an email that the grant payments were currently SA国际影视传媒渂eing processedSA国际影视传媒� but did not give an exact time frame when they would be received.
Thus far in 2023, DoorDash reported that it has awarded $440,000 in relief grants for restaurants impacted by disasters to 44 restaurants in New Zealand, Canada and the United States.
