Coronavirus Greenwich: Restaurant Launches Employee Relief Fund

GREENWICH, CT — As many restaurants struggle to keep their businesses afloat and pay employees while forced to shut down their dining rooms due to the spread of the new coronavirus, some have had to make very difficult decisions. Among them is Terra Ristorante Italiano, an Italian bistro situated along Greenwich Avenue.

According to a GoFundMe campaign recently launched by the restaurant's general manager, Vito Romano, Terra has been forced to "suspend operations completely and indefinitely" due to the spread of the virus, also referred to as COVID-19.

As a result, 30 of the eatery's hourly and salaried employees had to be laid off without notice. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"All the cooks, dishwashers, bartenders and servers, bus boys, chefs and managers are now fighting to make ends meet with no clear certainty as to what the future holds," Romano wrote on the campaign page. "There are no opportunities for other jobs in this industry at the moment, and it is unclear if and when we will all return to work at the place many of us have called home."

According to the restaurant's website, Terra is still offering takeout and curbside pickup from 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily (dinner menu only) as of Tuesday.

To help out during this difficult period, Romano launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the 30 employees affected by the change in operations. According to the campaign description, 100 percent of the money raised will "go directly toward employee relief and divided amongst the 30 members of the Terra Greenwich staff who are now jobless and desperately trying to support themselves, their spouses and children."

As of Tuesday morning, the campaign has received nearly 30 donations and raised $5,795 toward a $150,000 goal.

"It's unfortunate that we all find ourselves in this dire situation," Romano said, "but in a desperate time, we are calling on all our friends and family, community organizers, fellow hospitality workers and anyone who is willing to support this noble cause for all our hardworking staff."

To donate to the campaign, visit the GoFundMe page here.

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