Restaurants Care Resilience Fund to help small restaurants

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Business is starting to pick up at Kikku Kitchen in Northwest Fresno as restrictions ease during this pandemic

"It was a very tough year. The toughest time that we've ever experienced. Officially, we just opened the second location three months before the pandemic. So that made it even tougher," said Silvia Wahyudi, Kikku owner.

Silvia Wahyudi owns Kitchen Kitchen off Palm and Nees and Kikku Japanese Food in Downtown Fresno.

During the shutdown, the owners temporarily closed their Northwest Fresno location, orders slowed and bills piled up.

They were impacted financially.

They applied and got help from the SBA and grants, which helped tremendously.

Now, The California Restaurant Foundation and its partners has created the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund to bring more help. Small business owners with less than 50 employees can earn $3,500.

Several communities, including those in Fresno and Kern counties, can apply.

"A restaurant that is currently open but can have modified operations can demonstrate a revenue loss of 20 percent or more between 2019 and 2020. We are prioritizing women and people of color-owned businesses, but anyone can apply," said Alycia Harshfield, CA Restaurant Foundation Exec Dir.

There's also a chance for the owner to explain how the pandemic has impacted them.

As for Wahyudi, she says she'll jump at any chance to help sustain her business.

"We are on the road to recovery. It's not going to be short-term, it'll be long-term," Wahyudi said.

Funds and grants are crucial for many owners who've already dipped into their savings and more to save their dream.

You can apply to the resilence fund starting April 11th. The deadline is April 18.