HospitalityMaine restaurant, lodging grants aim to ease staffing woes
Courtesy / HospitalityMaine
HospitalityMaine has released a video produced by O'Maine Studios celebrating the state's restaurant and lodging industries as the state reopens. Pictured in a screen image from the video is a server from Congdon's Donuts in Wells.
As Maine's state of emergency ends Wednesday after 15 months, restaurants and lodging establishments are reopening — and some are benefiting from $23,000 worth of mini-grants to deal with the hiring crunch.
The grants were awarded to 46 businesses across the state as HospitalityMaine, a nonprofit trade group with over 1,000 members, looks to boost employment and public support of the industry.
Recipients were randomly selected from those that had participated in the organization's Great Maine Comeback and ReUP campaigns. The $500 grants, issued through the HospitalityMaine Education Foundation, can be used in any way that will help make hires.
"We are glad to help with the hiring crisis that these businesses, along with the entire industry, are now facing," Steve Hewins, the foundation's executive director, said in a news release from the organization. "Our foundation is committed to finding a long-term sustainable solution so that our restaurants and hotels do not contend with these same problems year after year.”
Alec Sabina, co-owner of Hot Suppa in Portland, said: “Anything we receive right now is like water we can throw at this fire, it is beneficial."
Sabina said when he received the $500 grant last week in the mail, he was stunned. While it's not unusual to get mail from HospitalityMaine, “Normally it’s my membership bill," he said. "But it was a check with a grant. I said ‘Wow that is great, this really helps.’”
He will use the money as an end-of-summer bonus for the staff at Hot Suppa.
Campaigns aimed at hiring, public
The two campaigns, designed to generate interest in the industry both among possible employees and the public in general, were developed in partnership with O'Maine Studios, of Portland.
The Great Maine Comeback campaign was launched in April by the foundation to encourage people to patronize restaurants and lodging establishments. A video produced by Rory Strunk of O'Maine, celebrating the state's hospitality businesses, was released this week as part of the campaign.
The campaign's web page also features a video with workers in the industry talking about why they like working in the field, and links to businesses that are hiring.
ReUp ME was established last summer by HospitalityMaine and several business partners, to raise money to help struggling restaurants and inns. It included "Sunday Supper" videos featuring local chefs, restaurant and lodging representatives sharing recipes, menus and cooking tips.
HospitalityMaine awarded $5,000 Restaurant Relief Grants to 24 restaurants across the state with money raised last year. Hannaford Supermarkets, Bangor Savings Bank, Visit Maine and 10 other contributing companies sponsored the effort.
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