Feed the Soul Foundation Celebrates Partnership with Grubhub

Non-profit organization aims to generate economic and social support for Black-owned businesses

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Feb 09, 2021, 08:07 ET

HOUSTON, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Feed the Soul Foundation, the non-profit arm of Black Restaurant Week, LLC, celebrates their partnership with Grubhub. As a recipient of the food ordering and delivery platform's Donate the Change program, Feed the Soul Foundation will benefit from diner donations during the month of February, as well as Grubhub's virtual concert series Sound Bites.

In addition to the historical systemic barriers, the global pandemic has disproportionately affected Black-owned businesses. According to the Restaurant Business analysis, only 130 Black-owned businesses received larger PPP loans in 2020. Only 7% of U.S. businesses before the coronavirus pandemic were Black-owned, according to data from a University of California, Santa Cruz study in June 2020.

In 2020, Feed the Soul Foundation received hundreds of applications – of which 94% were Black-owned – for their Restaurant Business Development Fund from marginalized businesses. With the support from Grubhub, Feed the Soul Foundation will be able to expand the number of businesses in their unit and create additional programs.

"Two out of three minority businesses are concerned about the impending possibility of business closure due to the effects of COVID," says Dr. Asheli S. Atkins, Executive Director of Feed the Soul Foundation. "One of our top priorities was to create the Restaurant Business Development Fund because it is designed to aid minority businesses and prevent closures."

Feed the Soul Foundation will use the diner donations to support the following initiatives:

Multiple $10K grants will go to restaurant owners for business development, such as menu consultation, operations or marketing initiatives.
Restaurant emergency fund supports restaurants with unexpected emergencies such as flooding or a break-in.
Scholarships to marginalized hospitality management college students, creating a pathway to grow the next generation of restauranteurs.

"We are committed to both uplifting and celebrating Black-owned restaurants every day," said Jessica Burns, Vice President, Brand Marketing and Creative at Grubhub. "Feed the Soul Foundation has made an inspiring impact in helping this culinary community grow and we're honored to help support their important mission with the help of our diners."

During February, all proceeds from Grubhub's Donate the Change program benefit the Feed Soul Foundation. Grubhub's Donate the Change feature allows diners who opt-in to round up their change on their orders. Grubhub also matches Donate the Change contributions by Grubhub+ members on eligible Grubhub+ orders. Feed the Soul Foundation will also be Grubhub's donation partner for Sound Bites, a virtual concert series featuring performances by Anderson .Paak and The Soul Rebels, with special guests Big Freedia, Trombone Shorty and Tarriona "Tank" Ball. During the live concert, fans tuning in will be encouraged to comment during the live stream, and Grubhub will donate $5 for every comment (up to $100K) to Feed the Soul Foundation. Sound Bites will take place on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. ET on the Grubhub YouTube channel.

For more information about Feed the Soul Foundation, please visit feedthesoulfou.org.

About Feed the Soul Foundation

Black Restaurant Week, LLC established the Feed the Soul Foundation to aid marginalized entrepreneurs in the culinary industry with business development resources and support in order to foster sustainable business growth. The goal of the foundation is to equip marginalized business owners with business development training and consultation services.

About Grubhub
Grubhub is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as nearly 30 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features over 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with approximately 245,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

SOURCE Feed the Soul Foundation