One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
A Grant Fund For OC Restaurants Offering Outdoor Dining In Winter
Voters outside an eatery at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Election Day 2020. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)
Orange County restaurants offering outdoor seating can apply for a new grant program that aims to help owners keep their outside operations open during the winter, as they try to maintain business amid the pandemic.
This week the Orange County Board of Supervisors launched a program to support outdoor dining restaurants with $1,000 grants, available to 1,000 eligible restaurants on a first-come basis. The money must be used for purchases like tents and canopies, lighting, and outdoor heaters.
Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do told KPCC/LAist that while a thousand bucks may be a drop in the bucket, it's still badly needed because restaurant profit margins are so thin, especially lately.
"They are barely surviving," Do said. "I talked to a restaurant owner serving customers. In fact, I've been going there for years and I didn't even know who the owner was. So that tells you now, owners actually have to work alongside employees to make ends meet."
The grants come from a million dollars in reallocated CARES Act money that's projected to go unspent. Information from the county on how to apply can be found here. The application period began Friday.
Orange, Los Angeles and other local counties have offered assistance to small businesses affected by the pandemic. Meanwhile, local restaurants brace for new challenges under curfew rules taking effect this weekend.
READ MORE:
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
