This week's newsletter is brought to you by GRA Corporate Partner, NetTax. |
On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, over 160 golfers, sponsors, volunteers and elected officials came together at Atlanta National Golf Club in Milton, GA and hit record breaking numbers raising just over $116,000 for the GRA PAC. Participating golfers enjoyed exciting raffle prizes, a great variety of food and beverage donated by industry partners, and interactive contests along the course.
Your generous participation, donations, and time made the tournament a great success!
MANY THANKS to our sponsors and restaurant partners for helping make this event happen: Gas South, NCR, Society Insurance, Sysco, UnitedHealthcare, US Foods, Atmosphere, Qwick, Melissa Libby & Associates, Diamond Amusements, Tito’s Vodka, Bennett Thrasher, IRONWOOD, HM Plumbing, Dave’s Cosmic Subs, Smithfield Culinary, Eckrich, Moore Colson, Mighty Swell, Mobile Ice Box, Rinnai, Ecolab, Savannah Distributing, Corporate Events Unlimited, Chick-fil-A, TFH Legal, Fork U Concepts, Brewed to Serve Restaurant Group, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Loyal Q + Brew.
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Congratulations to the Top Scoring Teams
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First Place: Sizzlin Steak Concepts (Wilson Oswald, Blake Wilson, Josh Chay, and Blake Kennedy)
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Second Place: sponsored by Atmosphere // IRONWOOD // UnitedHealthcare (Hank Clark, Matt Hene, and Martin Thorson)
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Third Place: Atlanta Super Source (Jonathan McDole, Jim Green, Bart Lamberson, and Zach McGhee)
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LAST CHANCE FOR RRF - TAKE ACTION! |
Small Business COVID Relief Act of 2022 up for a vote early next week
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has indicated that he will bring the Small Business COVID Relief Act of 2022 (S. 4008) up for a vote early next week. The $48 billion bill, introduced by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), includes $40 billion for RRF replenishment and $8 billion in support for other industries deeply impacted by the pandemic.
The bill needs 10 Republican votes to pass, and right now we’re not sure if those votes are there.
You can help by calling or emailing your Senator and urging them to support the bill.
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Riverwood International Charter School and Maxwell High School of Technology Students Competed at 2022 National ProStart Student Invitational in Washington, D.C.
Eighty culinary and restaurant management teams from across the country competed this past weekend at the 2022 National ProStart Invitational (NPSI), hosted by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). The competition, held in Washington, D.C., marked the first in-person event since 2019 and awarded more than $200,000 in scholarship funds to winning teams to support their future careers.
We are so proud of these high school students who worked hard and delivered under immense pressure. For those who aren’t familiar with the ProStart Invitational, culinary teams create and present a three-course meal in 80 minutes; management teams create and pitch a restaurant concept, complete with costing, marketing, and operations plans.
And finally, big thanks again to the educators, parents, and our own GRA team, especially Chef Simone Byron, Evelin Castro-Lozano, Ashley Casasola, Chef Daryl Shular, and Stephanie Fischer who helped coach, mentor and prepare our students for Nationals.
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PPP Loan Forgiveness – Apply Before Payment Notices Begin
Restaurants who received a 2nd draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2021 still have time to apply for loan forgiveness. For PPP borrowers of $150,000 and less, simplified forgiveness options are a great option: Form 3508S or the “SBA Direct Forgiveness Portal” offer a streamlined process. The vast majority of PPP loans that remain unforgiven, approximately 1.1 million loans in total, are eligible for these expedited forgiveness options. Restaurants should be aware that PPP loan repayment for unforgiven loan portions begins 10 months after the end of the PPP covered period. For more information, please watch the Association’s PPP Loan Forgiveness message. Visit SBA to learn more. National Restaurant Association’s VP of Public Policy Aaron Frazier also provides a quick video explaining why it's critical for restaurants to do so.
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National Restaurant Association Comments on Swipe Fees
In a letter-for-the-record to Senate Committee on the Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the National Restaurant Association submitted comments last week on the need for Congress to address debit and credit card swipe fees and anti-competitive transaction routing practices that are costing restaurants and customers billions of dollars each year. The Association is ensuring that restaurants are part of the federal policy discussion on swipe fees, and put Congress on notice that the restaurant industry seeks enforcement of laws and regulations to create fairness through competition in the electronic payments eco-system.
Restaurant Law Center + Texas Restaurant Association file appeal for US DOL 80/20 rule
On May 9, 2022, the Restaurant Law Center and Texas Restaurant Association filed an appeal in response to a district court’s dismissal of their complaint that argues revisions made to a Dual Jobs tip credit regulation result in a new statute and conflicts with the Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act. Read more.
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MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH |
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month
We know the past two years have been especially challenging for employees in the restaurant industry. In observance of National Mental Health Awareness Month, the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) encourages operators to continue providing mental and emotional health resources for your team members. Additional resources may also be found on the GRA website.
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NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW |
Last Call - National Restaurant Association Show
Get ready for the 2022 National Restaurant Association Show on May 21 - 24 in Chicago. Growth and innovation starts with the right information, tools, and a supportive community that just "gets it." At the upcoming National Restaurant Association Show, experience all of that and more, from technology that’ll help you build a more profitable off-premise program to education sessions focused on workforce and development trends, all in one place.
GRA/National Restaurant Association members are eligible to receive one complimentary badge to the NRA Show. You are required to use your National Restaurant Association member ID and last name to access this complimentary badge. To obtain your NRA membership number, please contact us at info@garestaurants.org.
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Have You Maximized Your ERC?
With so much uncertainty around RRF, the one guaranteed way to get an influx of capital is the Employee Retention Credit (ERC or ERTC). You may be eligible for up to $26,000 per employee, money that the IRS is required to pay you, and therefore this is a source of support that won’t run out.
There are many people who still are not aware of the ERTC, or believe they are not eligible. For all GRA members, NetTax will provide a Phase 1 Benefit Analysis to determine your eligibility cost free. To see if you qualify, please click here and fill out the confidential survey to get started on the eligibility process. NetTax believes in transparency, feel free to review the service agreement (no retainer fees, no hourly rates, and if you do not qualify for any tax credits, there's no fee at all).
Most importantly, help us spread the word to your industry friends. If you want to speak with a GRA team member before reaching out to NetTax, please contact us at info@garestaurants.org.
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