Local food and beverage workers are currently still struggling financially because of COVID-19, even with the recent limited openings of some El Paso restaurants and bars.  Maggie Asfahani, who created the fund, wants workers to know that funds are still available to those who need it.

“Although restaurants and bars are now able to open, we recognize that there is still an economic struggle for employees because of some of the state’s requirements on our businesses,” said Asfahani, owner of Salt + Honey Bakery Café in Five Points. Although the governor recently announced that restaurants can now open at 50 percent capacity and bars at 25 percent capacity, these requirements will not be effective in El Paso until May 29.

For those who need assistance,  $100 gift cards are still available from the Paso del Norte Community Foundation’s El Paso Food and Beverage Workers Fund.

“Our restaurant and bar employees are still in need of assistance and we want them to know that this fund is here to help,” said Tracy J. Yellen, CEO of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation. “Applying for assistance can be overwhelming for some community members but we have made applying for the El Paso Food and Beverage Workers Fund simple.”

$100 gift card funds are still available. To receive these funds, submit the following information to [email protected]: legal name, physical address, telephone number, email address, and a copy of a letter for temporary closure or notice of termination from employment from a restaurant or bar located in El Paso County as of March 18, 2020. Funds will be awarded to qualified applicants by Workforce Solutions Borderplex until funds are no longer available.

The Food and Beverage Workers Fund is still accepting donations by clicking here or mailing a check payable to the Paso del Norte Community Foundation (with a note that it’s for the El Paso Food and Beverage Workers Fund) to Paso del Norte Community Foundation, 221 N. Kansas Street, Suite 1900, El Paso, Texas 79901.

About Workforce Solutions Borderplex

Workforce Solutions is the public workforce system in the six-county Borderplex region that assists employers in finding quality employees, and training individuals with the skills necessary to thrive in the workplace. We administer a broad range of programs and services to effectively address local workforce issues. Workforce Solutions establishes partnerships with various stakeholders within the region to improve education, employment, and economic development. Our organization and its initiatives have been recognized and awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission for our innovative approach to assisting employers and job seekers. For more information, visit BorderplexJobs.com.