When the going gets tough, the tough get together and lend a helping hand – at least that’s how chefs Ming Tsai, Ken Oringer and Chris Coombs roll. The trio of award-winning restaurateurs are working in conjunction with the Greg Hill Foundation and support from Sam Adams to launch the Restaurant Strong Fund to raise some monies for restaurant and bar employees. Sam Adams has ponied up $100,000 to get the ball rolling (and keep the ball rolling by matching as much as another $100,000 for funds raised by the end of the month). Fulltime restaurant/bar employees will be able to apply for a $1,000 non-taxed grant just by filling out this super easy online application and submitting a couple of their most recent paystubs – and, if all goes well, they may be able to receive a little relief as early as next week. And if all goes really well, the program, which is focusing its initial efforts in Massachusetts, may expand to other communities.

If you have the means, donate as much as you can to support the restaurant community during this difficult time; your donation will go a long way in providing relief for servers, bartenders, line cooks and kitchen staff who can really use the help.

If you’re an hourly restaurant worker and you need the help, apply for a Restaurant Strong Fund grant online here to cover living expenses like rent and utilities.