Over the course of the pandemic, restaurants across the country have been in survival mode, saving every dollar that comes their way in the hope of scraping by.

But now that some restaurants in select parts of the country can start to see even the faintest glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, they’re turning their attention to an incredibly worthy cause and pitching in to provide financial support. 

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Saturday June 27th will mark the start of Food Industry Action, a nationwide fundraiser for restaurants committed to the fight for racial justice. On that day, restaurants across the country will donate five percent of their sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, an organization that fights for Black lives in the judicial system. So far, more than 180 restaurants and eateries across 26 states (plus Washington, D.C.) have pledged to share proceeds. 

The Food Industry Action effort acknowledges that while 2020 has been an incredibly tough year for restaurants, that’s no excuse for sitting on the sidelines during what could go down as a transformative moment in American political history—especially given how the sweat, creativity, and entrepreneurial vision of BIPOC play a crucial and often unheralded role in making the restaurant world what it is.

“As a result of closures due to COVID-19, many restaurants have found themselves in positions of financial stress and are unable to donate as we would have previously,” a statement on Food Industry Action’s website reads. “In an effort to help smaller donations make a bigger impact in the fight for racial justice, we are asking that on June 27, restaurants and food establishments pledge 5% of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund on behalf of a united food community.”
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This isn’t the first time this month that food and fundraising for racial justice have intersected. Bakers Against Racism, a massive online-organized bake sale, managed to raise $1.6 million for racial justice organizations. This time around, though, you don’t need any baking skills to make a difference. 

For a list of the restaurants spanning from California to Maine who are donating their five percent to the NAACP Legal Fund on the 27th, check out Food Industry Action’s website. Doing the right thing has never tasted so good. 

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