As restaurants and businesses across the city of Tucson closed their dining rooms or closed up shop last night, countless numbers of people were left jobless or with reduced hours. We don't quite know the impact of that decision, but we do know that lots of people in our community need help.
Here is a list of phone numbers you can call, as collected by the nonprofit organization Tucson City of Gastronomy. These phone numbers apply to anyone who's been laid off or is hurting right now, not just food industry folks.
• Restaurant owners: Call Pima County Rapid Response for assistance for employees facing layoffs. Dominica Dominguez is at 520-724-3684 or dominica.dominguez@pima.gov.
Here is a list of Pima County emergency and training services:
• Arizona Department of Economic Security for unemployment insurance benefits. Visit des.az.gov or call 520-791-2722.
• Pima County One Stop Career Center helps with job searches and training for new jobs, and provides relocation funding, etc. Call 520-724-7700 or email business.services@pima.gov.
• Community Action Partnership provides assistance with paying rent and utilities and can also help with health care needs like prescription medicines, etc. Head to the website or call 520-724-2667.
• Chicanos Por La Causa can help with housing and rental assistance. Head to cplc.org or call 520-882-0018.
• Interfaith Community Services can help with clothing, food and utilities. Visit icstucson.org or call 520-297-6049.
• Salvation Army Tucson can also help with basic needs like food, clothing and utilities. Visit salvationarmytucson.org or call 520-795-9671.
For more information about this list of resources and how to get help, contact Jonathan Mabry at the Tucson City of Gastronomy, jmabry@cityofgastronomy.org or 520-370-1191.
Other useful resources:
• Health-e-Arizona Plus assists with healthcare, provides cash assistance, food stamps and more. Head to healthearizonaplus.gov
• The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona provides food assistance to the hungry. Visit communityfoodbank.org or their Facebook page for the latest information.
• The Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation is establishing a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. You can donate to it here. But for now, they've also compiled a helpful list of links for those in the restaurant community nationwide.
