As the COVID-19 outbreak in Oregon continues to impact the local restaurant market, stories are popping up across the city, from food cart owners giving away free meals to chefs starting Instagram cooking classes. In this new version of AM Intel, we dive into different ways the state’s food service industry has been responding to the global pandemic. For more COVID-19 stories, check out our larger story stream.
RESTAURANT SEVERANCE — The Burgerville Workers Union has released a petition requesting the company provide aid and healthcare protections for workers in response to the local COVID-19 outbreak. The union is hoping to get severance package equivalent of two weeks’ wages, $2 per hour hazard pay, and two additional weeks of sick leave for workers. [EaterWire]
RISE ABOVE — Cold brew company Rise Brewing Company, which has a location in Happy Valley, has given away 10,000 cans of organic nitro cold brew coffee to healthcare workers across the country, including Saint Charles Hospital and Sage View Psychiatric Center in Bend. [EaterWire]
SANITIZER — Another batch of distilleries and booze companies are getting into the “hard sanitizer” trend. Hood River Distilling is now making a massive amount of hand sanitizer for health care workers responding to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The company has made 1,000 gallons of hand sanitizer in two weeks, and plans to make thousands more. Meanwhile, Straightaway is now making hand sanitizer to send with deliveries. [Willamette Week]