Historic D.C Restaurant Gets Approved for Coronavirus Relief Loan

The restaurant industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic. Due to restrictions against large gatherings, many restaurants have been forced to close or offer takeout service only. Since the roll out of the stimulus package and its various relief programs aimed toward small businesses, there has been a lot of controversy about how the loans have been distributed—including a lack of money sent to marginalized communities.

Luckily, for one historic restaurant, a coronavirus relief loan came just in time.

Ben’s Chili Bowl is a well-known historic restaurant located in Washington, D.C., that was trying to adapt to the new reality but was struggling to stay afloat. Thankfully, a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program came through. The U Street institution can stay open and continue to feed its loyal patrons.

Sage Ali, a member of the Ali family that owns the restaurant chain, says that the business’ bank informed him that the application for the loan was approved for the second round of PPPs since it was rejected the first time around.

“Things are good … and we’re very thankful for that,” Ali said in an interview with Shoppe Black.

As of right now, the chain has not received the money but Ali said that it should cover at least two months of the payroll for the four restaurants that the family owns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, only the original restaurant has remained open for takeout and delivery.

Although the loan will save the institution, Ali says adapting to the new reality will still be a challenge given the restaurant’s history as a popular gathering spot for locals. “As you know, the Chili Bowl has been a real community gathering place, and we’ve created where the community goes,” said Ali. “Even beyond the DMV, it has become a global community gathering place.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2Su9tBV

Historic D.C Restaurant Gets Approved for Coronavirus Relief Loan

The restaurant industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic. Due to restrictions against large gatherings, many restaurants have been forced to close or offer takeout service only. Since the roll out of the stimulus package and its various relief programs aimed toward small businesses, there has been a lot of controversy about how the loans have been distributed—including a lack of money sent to marginalized communities.

Luckily, for one historic restaurant, a coronavirus relief loan came just in time.

Ben’s Chili Bowl is a well-known historic restaurant located in Washington, D.C., that was trying to adapt to the new reality but was struggling to stay afloat. Thankfully, a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program came through. The U Street institution can stay open and continue to feed its loyal patrons.

Sage Ali, a member of the Ali family that owns the restaurant chain, says that the business’ bank informed him that the application for the loan was approved for the second round of PPPs since it was rejected the first time around.

“Things are good … and we’re very thankful for that,” Ali said in an interview with Shoppe Black.

As of right now, the chain has not received the money but Ali said that it should cover at least two months of the payroll for the four restaurants that the family owns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, only the original restaurant has remained open for takeout and delivery.

Although the loan will save the institution, Ali says adapting to the new reality will still be a challenge given the restaurant’s history as a popular gathering spot for locals. “As you know, the Chili Bowl has been a real community gathering place, and we’ve created where the community goes,” said Ali. “Even beyond the DMV, it has become a global community gathering place.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2Su9tBV

Kamala Harris Unveils Legislation To Create Task Force Combating Racial Disparities Amid COVID-19

The novel coronavirus has caused the U.S. to use many of its resources to address the economic fallout brought on by the public health crisis. The viral outbreak has heightened the urgent need to address long-standing inequities in our healthcare system. Now California Sen. Kamala Harris announced on Thursday that she intends to bring forth new legislation to create a special task force to address and combat racial disparities brought on due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harris has introduced the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act to bring together healthcare and other policy experts, community-based organizations, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders to confront the racial and ethnic disparities of the coronavirus pandemic head-on.

The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an interagency task force of policy experts, community leaders, and government officials to make data-driven recommendations to federal agencies about directing crucial resources—like testing kits, testing supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE)—to communities with racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death rates. The task force’s work would also be able to guide a more equitable government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health crises.

“People of color are being infected and dying from coronavirus at astounding rates,” said Sen. Harris in a press statement. “This is in part due to persistent lack of access to healthcare, bias in our healthcare system, systematic barriers to equal pay and housing, and environmental injustice. It is critical that the federal government proactively work to right historical wrongs that have led to racial inequities for generations. The COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act is a necessary step to fully understand the impact of this virus in the hardest hit communities, and make targeted investments that correspond with their unique needs.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2KWjjYU

Kamala Harris Unveils Legislation To Create Task Force Combating Racial Disparities Amid COVID-19

The novel coronavirus has caused the U.S. to use many of its resources to address the economic fallout brought on by the public health crisis. The viral outbreak has heightened the urgent need to address long-standing inequities in our healthcare system. Now California Sen. Kamala Harris announced on Thursday that she intends to bring forth new legislation to create a special task force to address and combat racial disparities brought on due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harris has introduced the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act to bring together healthcare and other policy experts, community-based organizations, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial leaders to confront the racial and ethnic disparities of the coronavirus pandemic head-on.

The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an interagency task force of policy experts, community leaders, and government officials to make data-driven recommendations to federal agencies about directing crucial resources—like testing kits, testing supplies, and personal protective equipment (PPE)—to communities with racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death rates. The task force’s work would also be able to guide a more equitable government response to the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health crises.

“People of color are being infected and dying from coronavirus at astounding rates,” said Sen. Harris in a press statement. “This is in part due to persistent lack of access to healthcare, bias in our healthcare system, systematic barriers to equal pay and housing, and environmental injustice. It is critical that the federal government proactively work to right historical wrongs that have led to racial inequities for generations. The COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act is a necessary step to fully understand the impact of this virus in the hardest hit communities, and make targeted investments that correspond with their unique needs.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2KWjjYU

Prosecutors Know Who Killed This Black Man in Georgia but Have Made No Arrests

The family of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery says he was jogging in his neighborhood in Brunswick Country, Georgia in February when he was chased, shot, and killed by two white men.

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from The Root https://ift.tt/2WfcA1m