Colorado LGBTQ-Owned Restaurants to Receive Grants Honoring Resilience

Grubhub has teamed up with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) on a multi-state series of events celebrating the resilience of LGBTQ-owned businesses and restaurants. Denver’s Warwick Hotel is hosting a special event this evening, April 28, featuring outstanding community leaders from the region and guests from the NGLCC, Grubhub, and partner organizations, along with business resources and opportunities for the community and a presentation of grants to honorees.

The NGLCC & Grubhub Community Impact Grant program provides financial support to those impacted by COVID-19, with grants expected to range from $5,000 to $100,000. NGLCC was the official partner of Grubhub’s “Donate the Change” through June 2021, raising tens of millions of dollars for organizations in need since its launch in late 2019. The partnership invited Grubhub and Seamless diners to round up the order total and donate the remainder, with the company matching eligible donations from Grubhub+ members.

Those proceeds will now be made available through NGLCC to support the LGBTQ community and LGBTQ-owned restaurants.

The Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce is a proud partner of NGLCC and its network of more than 50 affiliate chambers across the country, helping to amplify this grant opportunity to support local restaurants. The “Affiliate Chamber Fund” will also benefit local chambers and enable any establishment receiving a Community Impact Grant, which isn’t already a member of an NGLCC local affiliate chamber, to have one year of membership paid.

AJ Shaikh, chair of the Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, says that the chamber stands for the power of community and, looking at the experience of queer folks who come out, it’s not surprising that LGBTQ folks are behind the “most resilient and tenacious business community.”

“When the pandemic hit, our business community bound together to support each other,” Shaikh says. “Business owners were quick to adapt and embrace the discomfort of the unknown. We could not be more proud to partner with Grubhub and NGLCC to have the opportunity to facilitate these grants and recognize our hard working LGBTQ owned restaurants throughout Colorado.”

NGLCC Co-Founder and President Justin Nelson also spoke to the strength of the LGBTQ community, referencing that the folks at the NGLCC say, “If you can buy it, an LGBTQ+-owned business can supply it,” which Nelson says is especially true for queer-owned restaurants across the U.S. throughout the pandemic.

“We’re proud to partner with Grubhub in presenting these grants across America,” Nelson says. “America’s 1.4 million LGBTQ+-owned business owners have demonstrated incredible resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we came back to help them recover stronger than ever.”

To register for tonight’s special event at The Warwick Hotel, click here.