The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED and Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky have announced the first recipients of grants from the NKY Restaurant Relief Fund. The generosity of the region has resulted in more help than anticipated.
A joint project between the NKY Chamber, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED and Horizon Community Funds, the fund launched April 8 to provide local restaurants and bars financial aid in the wake of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. Fifteen restaurants and bars will receive $1000 from fund.
The first round of NKY Restaurant Relief Fund grant recipients included:
1. The Block Deli (Crescent Springs)
2. Bouquet Restaurant (Covington)
3. Braxton Brewing Co. (Covington)
4. Camporosso (Fort Mitchell)
5. Commonwealth Bistro (Covington)
6. Frida 602 (Covington)
7. Grandview Tavern (Fort Mitchell)
8. Izzy’s (Florence)
9. Knotty Pine on the Bayou (Wilder)
10. Libby’s Southern Comfort (Covington)
11. Piper’s Café (Covington)
12. Reality Tuesday Café (Park Hills)
13. Ripple Wine Bar (Covington)
14. Skyline Chili – (Taylor Mill)
15. Skyline Chili (Ft. Wright)
After purchasing a $50 minimum gift card/gift certificate to any qualifying Northern Kentucky restaurant or bar, an individual can then upload a copy of their receipt, address and contact information to the NKY Restaurant Relief Fund website. This automatically nominates the restaurant or bar for a $1,000 grant. Grant recipients are chosen via a random drawing with restaurants and bars receiving an entry for each $50 gift card/gift certificate uploaded. Restaurants must be locally owned and operated to be eligible; winning institutions will only receive a grant once.
To date, approximately $35,000 in sponsor/individual donation commitments have been made to the fund, with $15,000 worth of receipts uploaded to the site resulting from gift card/gift certificate purchases in support of more than 70 restaurants and bars. The response allowed for grants to be awarded to 15 restaurants and bars instead of 10 as originally announced.
“We are so humbled by the outpouring of generosity from the NKY Chamber, NKY Tri-ED, Horizon Community Funds, and our patrons during these unprecedented times,” said grant recipient Colleen Haws, Founder & CEO of Grandview Tavern. “This NKY Restaurant Relief Fund grant will be used to continue to provide Fresh Carryout Food and we will also be providing a meal to our first responders at St. Elizabeth. We can’t thank Susie Hilliard of Twin Oaks Golf Course her husband Mark, enough for making this possible.”
As an added bonus, gift card/gift certificate purchasers will also have a chance to be rewarded for their generosity. Ultimate Air Shuttle has donated a pair of airline tickets that will be awarded to one lucky gift card/gift certificate purchaser during the next NKY Spotlight podcast, which will air at 4 p.m., Thursday, April 23. Receipts for the next winners’ pool must be uploaded to the NKY Restaurant Relief Fund website by midnight Wednesday, April 22, in order to be eligible for the airline tickets, as well as the grants.
NKY Chamber President and CEO Brent Cooper is “ecstatic” about what the outpouring of support for the fund says about the Northern Kentucky region.
“At a time when so many businesses, restaurants especially, are struggling through no fault of their own, the outpouring of support by our community shows just how special and strong Northern Kentucky truly is,” Cooper said. “We have a long road, so to speak, ahead of us but this is a re-affirmation of what we have told our members at this time: You are not alone as we are all in this together. We are confident next week’s announcement will re-affirm that commitment, too.”
Tri-ED President and CEO Lee Crume hopes the announcement inspires others to help the fund reach its original goal of $50,000 – and beyond.
“The number of gift cards purchased and donations to the NKY Restaurant Relief Fund so far have surpassed our expectations and show how strong our Northern Kentucky community is,” said Crume. “Our region is stepping up to this challenge and the support shown for our restaurants and bars lets our entrepreneurs and their staff know how much they mean to all of us. This effort is a shining example of our region’s generosity. We hope the momentum continues.”
Horizon Community Funds President Nancy Grayson says the fund has allowed for people to support more than just their favorite establishment for food and drink, too.
“In addition to supporting our local restaurants and bars, we have seen companies as well as individuals buying gift cards as a ‘thank you’ to our healthcare workers, first responders and essential workers,” says Grayson. “It’s long been said that meals bring people together; now, they are bringing our entire region together in an unprecedented fashion.”
To nominate a local restaurant or bar, or for more information, visit the NKY Restaurant Relief Fund website. Direct contributions to the fund can also be made by visiting Horizon Community Funds’ website; questions can be directed to info@northernkentuckyusa.com.