MONROE COUNTY – Monroe County plans to reopen to visitors Monday, June 1 by suspending the checkpoints on U.S. 1 and State Road 905 and allowing lodging establishments to take guests at 50 percent occupancy.

Monroe County lodging establishments, like hotels, campgrounds, vacation rentals, and other transient-licensed establishments will be required to implement sanitation procedures and follow the American Hotel and Lodging Association COVID-19 guidelines for enhanced cleaning practices (www.ahla.com). The timeline for removing the 50 percent capacity restriction for lodging will be determined at a later date.

Per Governor Executive Order 20-123, the County Administrator will submit a written request and safety plan to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary to seek approval for the operation of vacation rentals.

Airport screenings and bus restrictions will also be lifted on June 1.

This is subject to revision based on data regarding the prevalence of the virus within Monroe County, increased testing and contact tracing protocols, and the efforts in the adjacent counties to continue to control transmission of the virus. All other requirements are not lifted. Should the Florida Keys experience an increase in cases and under the advisement of the Florida Department of Health, restrictions may be heightened and/or amenities may again be closed.

Monroe County residents are urged to continue to follow directives set by the State, County, and municipalities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including wearing masks in public settings, limiting group sizes to 10 or less, and physically distancing from others by six feet. More information on COVID-19 efforts in Monroe County can be found at www.monroecountyem.com/covid19. Tourism-related information can be found at www.fla-keys.com.

The Florida Keys have been closed to visitors since March 22 to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 15, 2020

TALLAHASSEE – Today, Tom Bené was announced as the new President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the largest food service trade association in the world representing more than 500,000 restaurant businesses. He will also serve as CEO of NRA’s Educational Foundation, which works to attract, empower, and advance today’s and tomorrow’s restaurant and food service workforce.

Mr. Bené most recently served as Chairman, President, and CEO of Sysco Corporation and was previously President of PepsiCo Foodservices.

“On behalf of more than 57,000 public food service establishments across Florida, I want to extend congratulations to Tom Bené for his appointment as President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Tom is known for his extraordinary leadership, character, and determination, and he is the right person to lead us through recovery. We look forward to continuing our great relationship with the NRA as we work to rebuild from the devasting impacts that COVID-19 has had on our industry.”

About FRLA: The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.5 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of the membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through SafeStaff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.

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On Monday, May 4, Phase 1 of Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida plan will begin. Issued in Executive Order 20-112, the “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step.” plan will gradually re-open Florida businesses. The Executive Order permits restaurants in all counties except for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach to open indoor seating at 25% capacity with six-foot distancing between tables and parties no larger than 10. It also allows for outdoor seating with appropriate social distancing. FRLA developed FAQs to assist with member questions for re-opening. They are available here.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2020

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashley Chambers
[email protected]

TALLAHASSEE – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-112 and announced a gradual re-opening of Florida businesses beginning Monday, May 4, in all Florida counties except for Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward, which will be phased in at a later date.

The Executive Order permits restaurants to open indoor seating at 25% capacity with six-foot distancing between tables and parties no larger than 10. It also allows for outdoor seating with appropriate social distancing.

“I want to thank Governor DeSantis for his measured and thoughtful approach to safely re-opening Florida businesses,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Our hospitality industry is eager to welcome guests, within social distancing guidelines, and get back to what we are so good at – creating memorable experiences for those we serve. We have full confidence that Governor DeSantis and this Administration will lead the tourism state we are so proud of back to economic vitality.”

To read the full Executive Order and the Executive Office of the Governor FAQs, click here. For FRLA FAQs on re-opening, click here.

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Today, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) released Re-Opening Guidance for Restaurants and Hotels in Florida. These standards were developed in consultation with the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and have been shared with Governor DeSantis’ Re-Open Florida Task Force Executive Committee.

U.S. Department of the Treasury 
Office of Public Affairs

Press Release:  April 24, 2020

Contact: Treasury Public Affairs, (202) 622-2960

Additional Guidance Regarding the Paycheck Protection Program

 All:

Please be advised that today we released additional guidance regarding the Paycheck Protection Program:

• Interim Final Rule on Requirements for Promissory Notes, Authorizations, Affiliation, and Eligibility

An FAQ document has also been released by SBA and is available here.

For more information and updates, visit Treasury.gov/CARES and SBA.gov/PaycheckProtection

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The National Restaurant Association is collecting information on the economic impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The National Restaurant Association Research Group has developed a survey designed to continue to collect important data for their ongoing communications and advocacy activities regarding Coronavirus. All information provided is anonymous and confidential.

Restaurant operators with multiple restaurants are asked to complete a separate survey for each location. This will provide data to analyze the impact on a state level. If you wish to only complete one survey, please choose your primary restaurant for this survey.

Click here to take the survey. Please email Bruce Grindy at [email protected] if you have any questions.

FAQs for Executive Order 20-91, Essential Services and Activities During COVID-19 Emergency

Family meal program will help feed students and families in need across Florida impacted by the crisis

ORLANDO – As the community faces an unprecedented public health crisis, a network of local restaurants, hotels and hospitality industry organizations have joined forces alongside of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to launch Feed the Need Florida, a program that provides needed meals to food-insecure students and their families across Orange County and the state of Florida.

The Florida Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program provides funding to distribute meals to students in need, however the program does not provide meals for other family members. 4Roots, the nonprofit entity sponsoring the Feed the Need Florida program, will come alongside the local public school systems throughout the state to provide donated meals to the many families in need.

“There is an unprecedented need for students and families to have immediate and easy access to fresh, nutritious meals,” said John Rivers, CEO and founder of 4Roots and 4R Restaurant Group. “In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, we felt an obligation to rally the industry to help fill gaps in Florida’s ‘grab and go’ program, and also ensure that the families of these students likewise have access to meals. We are so thankful to have in this effort state government as well as restaurant, hotel, food distributor and corporate partners who share our heart to step up and meet this need. We are blessed to be in a position to serve in this capacity and hope individuals and businesses alike will join us in meeting the need.”

Feed the Need Florida is in direct coordination with the Florida Department of Agriculture to identify sites where meal distribution is needed.

“Fighting back against the worst pandemic in a century requires innovative solutions, especially to keep families from going hungry,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. “We’re so grateful to partner with Chef John Rivers, 4Roots, and the 4R Restaurant Group on this extraordinary effort to ensure Floridians can feed their families during this public health crisis. This partnership is a perfect example of working together to overcome enormous obstacles and leverage food service, hospitality, corporate, and government resources to fill critical gaps in food supply. We truly are all in this together, and together, we will feed the need.”

Building a Community Kitchen Network to Feed the Need

The 4R Restaurant Group will leverage its 4 Rivers BBQ resources to support the meal preparation and distribution across the state in coordination with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and the Florida Department of Agriculture. 4Roots activated a 25,000-square-foot warehouse space in Orlando to receive food from the hospitality and restaurant industry to prepare meals in the 4 Rivers 8,000-square-foot commissary kitchen in Orlando. They will also partner with the state to establish food collection, meal prep and distribution points to fill gaps in other counties via the 14 restaurant locations 4 Rivers has throughout Florida. As the program expands, Feed the Need Florida will develop a network of restaurant and catering partners to serve the anticipated growing need to address community hunger.

“Our industry is truly made up of the very best people,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Despite being significantly impacted themselves by the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurateurs across Florida are stepping up to fill critical needs for food. We are proud to join 4R Restaurant Group, 4Roots, and our many other restaurants who are making a difference during this difficult time. Not only will these efforts help students, families, and seniors, but they will help support whole communities needing extra help when they need it most.”

Together, the program establishes a system to receive food donations, preserve jobs, and prepare nutritious meals to be served to thousands of families of students throughout Florida who rely on free and reduced-price school meals.

The program would not be possible without the support of the entire Florida restaurant and hospitality community, including support from FreshPoint and Walmart with additional in-kind and monetary donations coming from other partners. It’s a model leaders say could be replicated by school districts, state governments and community partners across the country.

Take Action

Two ways individuals and corporations can participate:

• Donate now at org. 4Roots is accepting monetary donations as well as food donations from restaurants, the hospitality industry and other corporations.
• Spread the word and encourage others to contribute to support Feed the Need Florida via social media using the hashtag #FeedtheNeedFL.

Visit feedtheneedfl.org for more information.

ABOUT 4ROOTS

4Roots is an Orlando-based nonprofit community alliance founded by Chef John Rivers of the 4R Restaurant Group, dedicated to building a better food future and ending food insecurity in our community. In 2019, the organization began laying the foundation for its farm campus in the heart of Orlando to serve as a community crossroads where individuals and organizations work together to engage a holistic approach to food systems change, focusing on health, education, economic development, and sustainability. For more information, visit 4rootsfarm.org or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

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