Winter is Coming: Doordash, San José Mayor's Office, and The Silicon Valley Organization Announce Grants to Help San José Restaurants Winterize

DoorDash’s latest Main Street Strong effort will provide $150K to help San José restaurants maximize seating capacity, stay afloat

SAN JOSÉ– DoorDash, in partnership with the Office of the Mayor and The Silicon Valley Organization, today announced a new grant program to help San José restaurants prepare for colder weather and continue to serve customers throughout the winter. The grants in San José  are part of a $2 million effort in select cities across the country to help restaurants safely continue providing service as the weather gets cold.

Restaurants will be able to apply to receive part of the $150,000 being dedicated to San José  grants to defray winterization expenses, such as the cost of heating equipment, additional safety materials to improve indoor dining, and more. The effort is part of DoorDash’s Main Street Strong initiative to help restaurants recover and succeed amidst COVID-19 related challenges.

“Our city’s restaurants are finally starting to move forward, and we have to help them maintain the momentum,” said Mariah Ray, Public Policy and Partnerships Lead at DoorDash. “DoorDash is deeply committed to supporting our restaurant partners and the communities we serve. This initiative will provide critical financial support to keep restaurants going through the cold weather, and we’re appreciative of The Silicon Valley Organization’s shared support.”

"We are faced with a severe economic crisis brought on by COVID-19, and restaurants face a brutally difficult road ahead, especially with the approach of winter,” said Mayor Sam Liccardo. “These small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and we are proud to partner with DoorDash on their investment to boost the resilience of our restaurants, and to support the livelihoods of their employees.”

“As the region’s Chamber of Commerce, we stand with restaurants looking for solutions that will truly make an impact as they navigate these uncertain times. DoorDash’s grant program is one of these solutions. We know that the winter season will put a burden on our local restaurants, but this Main Street Strong initiative gives many restaurants a fighting chance at not only surviving, but thriving this winter. This means economic growth for San José and a step forward for diners, business owners, and employees,” said Madison Nguyen, Executive Vice President of the Silicon Valley Organization and former Vice Mayor of San José.  

Even as indoor dining resumes in the city, restaurants are struggling and cannot afford to lose the critical revenue they have been earning by serving customers outside.

Applications will be available on October 16, and selected restaurants will receive a $5,000 grant, with recipients notified  by the end of December. Eligible restaurants will be located in San José with three or fewer locations operating currently, 50 employees or fewer in 2019, and $3M or less in 2019 annual revenue per store. Restaurants interested in applying can find the application beginning October 16th on the Hello Alice website. CLICK HERE TO APPLY

The program will be administered by Hello Alice, an independent third party, who will manage the application and selection processes as well as the distribution of funds. Grant recipients will be selected via a process intended to help ensure equal access to funds and eliminate selection bias.During the COVID-19 pandemic, DoorDash has taken significant active steps to ensure the safety of our entire community, including providing:

• $120 million in commission relief and marketing investments
• 50% reduction in commissions for mom-and-pop restaurants, plus 0% commissions for pickup and 0% commissions for restaurants new to DoorDash
• Free personal safety equipment for Dashers, including hand sanitizer, gloves, wipes, and masks
• Two weeks of earnings for eligible Dashers affected by COVID-19
• COVID-19 screenings and telemedicine appointments for just $4 per visit
  

Read more about DoorDash’s efforts to help restaurants adapt to winter temperatures on the DoorDash blog. 

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About DoorDash

DoorDash is a technology company that connects customers with their favorite local and national businesses in more than 4,000 cities and all 50 states across the United States, Canada and Australia. Founded in 2013, DoorDash empowers merchants to grow their businesses by offering on-demand delivery, data-driven insights, and better in-store efficiency, providing delightful experiences from door to door. By building the last-mile delivery infrastructure for local cities, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. Read more on the DoorDash blog or at www.doordash.com.