Health Insurance, Wellbeing, COVID-19 Relief

We can do this together! Please read and help if you can.  #SmallBusinessRelief
My name is Anu Apte-Elford and I own Rob Roy and Co-own No Anchor, Navy Strength, and Vinnie's with my husband Chris Elford.  Like many bars and restaurants in Seattle we had to close on March 16th to flatten the curve of this horrible pandemic.  Before the closure we experienced a drastic drop in sales when neighboring businesses ordered their employees to work from home. 

I’ve spent hours applying for grants, loans, reaching out to my legislators, talking with my landlords, appealing denied unemployment, the list goes on. I am hopeful that some relief will come through sooner than later. However, I need financial assistance now. Chris and I are business partners which means we both lost our jobs and our meager incomes. Now, I’m not asking for help for us.  We’re scrappy and we sure-as-Seattle-rain have been broke most our relationship. We’ll be just fine. Unfortunately we don't have the savings to fund these goals ourselves. Here is what I’m asking:

All of our laid-off full time employees are moving to COBRA insurance which means they will have to pay 100% of the premium. I want to cover this cost for March through May. Goal: $8,916.96

Mental health and depression are two things I’m most concerned about for laid off restaurant workers.  Imagine hyper functioning go-getters who all of a sudden are sent home, to stay home.  Restaurant workers thrive on human interaction and pleasing people whether they’re extroverts or introverts.  Most of them choose to work hard for 12 hours a day moving their bodies, talking to people, doing physical labor, problem solving, and flexing their creative muscles through art they put in a glass, on your plate and even through the art of hospitality interactions. All of that has been taken away. All of it. We are trying to stay positive and I know there will be an end to this but until then I would like to pay for online therapy for each of them for 2 months. Goal:  $15,576.00

Last and certainly not least, our beloved Chef Jaimon Westing had a heart attack in November.  Luckily, he’s ok but still recovering.  Due to this he is immunosuppressed and must absolutely stay at home. Our insurance covered a big chunk of his bills but he still owes. We were talking about doing a fundraiser or party but obviously, who knows when we will be able to do that. He needs to pay these bills.  Goal: $9,000.00

Any money raised over this goal will be put into an “Emergency Fund” for our employees and used if this crisis goes on longer than anticipated.

If you would like your donation specifically allocated to one of the causes above please make note or message me directly.  Otherwise, I'll use whatever is raised to pay for health insurance first and split the remaining between mental health care and Chef Jaimon's bills.  Fingers crossed we reach our goal and can pay for it all!

We hope to have our restaurants and bars open as soon as possible but honestly, we're ok staying closed as long as it takes to get this pandemic under control.  We do what we do because we care about our community. We'll throw one hell of a party when this is all over.  You're invited. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, 
Anu Apte-Elford