Tacos from deMole Sunnyside 45-02 48th Avenue (Photo: deMoleNYC)
Dec. 14, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
An online petition has been launched to encourage Sunnyside and Woodside residents to support bars and restaurants in the area–as a means to help them survive the latest indoor dining ban.
The petition, which was launched Saturday, calls on residents to spend at least $25 per week on takeout or delivery at a Sunnyside/Woodside bar or restaurant.
By signing the petition, residents are essentially making a pledge to spend the funds at local venues.
Christopher Mitchell, the resident who started the petition with a group of community leaders, said that local establishments have contributed a great deal to the community and are now in need of support.
“These bars and restaurants are owned, run and staffed by our neighbors, friends and family,” Mitchell wrote as part of the preamble to the change.org petition.
“They have contributed generously to local events, fundraisers and charity drives. They are a vital part of our community and they need our help.”
The petition calls for 1,000 people to make the pledge and nearly 600 have already signed on.
One signee posted a comment on the change.org site saying that she would spend double the amount in order to cover those who can not afford to take part.
Indoor dining in New York City was suspended as of Monday by the governor following a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Mitchell fears that a significant number of the businesses will be forced to shutter for good, given the loss in revenue.
“By committing to spend at least $25 each week in takeout this winter, we can support these businesses that have generously supported our community,” he writes. “This money could be the difference between keeping the doors open or shutting down.”
Mitchell also suggests purchasing gift cards from local establishments for the holiday season as a show of support.
He is also asking residents to promote the petition online by giving shout outs to their favorite venues and using the hashtags #25forSunnyside and #25forWoodside.
“Our restaurants don’t have a lot of time. Please make the pledge today,” Mitchell writes.
Sign the petition here and follow the cause on Facebook and Instagram.
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21 Comments
Good on residents to step in while the sad excuse for a local chamber of commerce can’t keep the lights on!
Why would I get food from outside? Why would I put myself and family in danger? No virus in my food please.
I’m all for supporting restaurants, but the pandemic really made me and my partner realize how much better home cooked meals have been which has been a pleasant surprise, not only has it been healthier, but tasty and fresher. We even tried ordering to support and were very, very disappointed with the poor quality food. It’s really hard to justify supporting restaurants when the food is this bad, I’m sorry. Really, look at improving your food and we’ll order again.
I spend about 25 dollars a month at dunkin donuts. They sell food also. My kids love the 5 munchkins for a dollar. They get one each as a treat. Please help the poor in Sunnyside and Woodside also.
Food trucks and people selling tamales need our support too!
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate these restaurants and businesses but with the amount of people waiting on food bank lines, that’s just rude. People should be doing what they can.
I think i will purchase my grandkids teachers gift cards. Hopefully the gift cards will last throughout the second wave and not expire or close down.
Buying gift cards and handing them out at food banks and to the many homeless people living in our neighborhood would be the kindest thing to do.
Even though I live in Astoria I would love to help small businesses in Sunnyside/Woodside.
@Linda- We moved from Sunnyside to South Carolina twelve years ago when me and my husband retired from city jobs. Many places here have shut down as well. My sister and youngest daughter still live in Sunnyside and both make it a point to order from restaurants in the neighborhood a couple of times a week. The people down here don’t have that type of money most are retired and only have social security.
Cuomo hates the restaurant business
No reason to stop indoor dining
He has zero understanding of economics
Hashtagger- Kindly enlighten us with your theories on economics. This is a public health issue with resulting economic consequences. You have no understanding of cause and effect, why is that?
Enough with the restaurants/bars constantly crying. EVERYONE IS HURTING! Yet, pretty much all articles romanticize the restaurant/bar industry and how they are the “beating heart” of NYC and need all of our help and support and pretty much preferential treatment when you boil it all down. So many other industries are hurting yet nobody ever writes about them.
My industry shut down 100% in March an no one cares!
Great idea. If we want locals business we need to support them!
But what will our local council member do, to get indoor dining reopened and get people back to work?
The governor says “Trust the Science” but doesn’t provide any science for closing indoor dining. Is someone paying him to do this?
Our lack of a strong mayor and strong councilor leaves this area without a voice against the government and the single party rule.
John, you can get people back to work just by ordering food for pick up or delivery. It’s not complicated. It doesn’t matter whether you eat in the restaurant dining room or your own dining room, the money the restaurant receives does not change.,Your attempt at politicizing this issue instead of trying to support these establishments in a time of need is shameful.
The closer in NYC just put people out of work. Not all restaurants can do outdoor dining or takeout. I know cause I am on furlough again from the restaurant where I work. What do you suggest myself and my colleagues do? … apart from join the long lines for the food pantries…
The closure of restaurants in NYC was a political decision and no data has been provided to rationally back it up. If there is, please point it out. There is also no stated metric to reopen indoor dining.
There are no similar closures in upstate NY where the covid rates are higher and the support for opposition parties is stronger.
Please keep the personal attacks to yourself.
bruh what about convenience stores or small businesses? they’re struggling just as much as restaurants smh
Sunnysider – that’s stupid and incorrect. Convenience stores and supermarkets are not suffering. Nobody has suffered more than restaurants. These people are having their businesses closed down. They need help. As a community let’s help them. Where are the gutless politicians in this neighborhood. You only see them when the elections come up. Oh Cathy and Jimmy. Where are you?
Tom – That’s stupid and incorrect. They never said anything about supermarkets suffering.
What a great idea. I grew up on 45thSt. and Skillman Ave. and moved to Ca. in 1976. I wish we were doing this in San Diego. We have been in various forms of closures / shutdowns since March. So many businesses are now forever closed !!