Friends & Fortitude
It’ s no secret that restaurants were hit hard during the pandemic, but even at the toughest moments, many Baltimore eateries kept their doors open and supported the community that supports them.
Nationwide restaurant industry sales were down $ 240 billion in 2020, according to the National Restaurant Association. Millions of workers were out of work due to furloughs, closures and lower-capacity dining, and 110,000 locations nationwide were temporarily or permanently closed, according to the association’ s summary of a 2021 industry report.
It’ s been rough. And yet, some restaurants have managed to weather the storm.
“ The pandemic left many food service workers out of jobs and with great uncertainty regarding the stability of their income, especially for those who rely on tips as their main income source,” explains Ginny Lawhorn, managing partner of Friends and Family, which serves plant-based comfort food.“ Friends and Family has provided employees with a set living hourly wage, allowing for a sense of financial security which was not previously possible while relying only on tip wages.”
Today, Friends and Family is open and— like many— is following“ CDC and Johns Hopkins safety measures as outlined for restaurants,” its website confirms. And other more community-focused measures are making an impact.
Every month, through a social media raffle, Lawson says Friends and Family makes a $ 100 contribution in a guest’ s name to a Baltimore-based community organization or non-profit and provides the guest with a $ 50 gift card. The eatery has also held school supply drives for area classrooms, Lawhorn says, with support in recent years going to George Washington Elementary and James McHenry Elementary School.
The Friends and Family focus on community didn’ t start with the pandemic: the restaurant also prioritizes sustainability and supporting local business partners. The menu features plant-based bites such as a scramble made with roasted corn, black beans, purple cabbage, sliced radish and salsa verde topped with plantbased elote sauce, along with homemade vegan biscuits and gluten-free and vegan cocktails.
BALTIMORE. ORG 27