csmonitor--2020-06-01--'I can't breathe' protests go global

'I can't breathe' protests go global

Nations around the world have watched in concern over the civil unrest in the United States following the death of George Floyd , a black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing .
Racism-tinged events no longer startle even America ’ s closest allies , though many have watched coverage of the often-violent protests with growing unease .
Burning cars and riot police in the U.S. featured on newspaper front pages around the globe Sunday – bumping news of the COVID-19 pandemic to second-tier status in some places .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minneapolis was the latest in a series of deaths of black men and women at the hands of police in the U.S. Thousands gathered in central London on Sunday to offer support for American demonstrators .
Chanting `` No justice !
No peace ! ''
and waving placards with the words “ How many more ?
” at Trafalgar Square , the protesters ignored U.K. government rules banning crowds because of the pandemic .
Police did n't stop them .
Demonstrators then marched to the U.S. Embassy , where a long line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundred milled around in the street and waved placards .
Protesters in Denmark also converged on the U.S. Embassy on Sunday .
Participants carried placards with messages such as “ Stop Killing Black People.
” The U.S. Embassy in Berlin was the scene of protests on Saturday under the motto : “ Justice for George Floyd.
” Several hundred more people took to the streets Sunday in the capital ’ s Kreuzberg area , carrying signs with slogans like “ Silence is Violence , ” “ Hold Cops Accountable , ” and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” No incidents were reported .
Germany ’ s top-selling Bild newspaper on Sunday carried the sensational headline “ This killer-cop set America ablaze ” with an arrow pointing to a photo of now-fired police officer Derek Chauvin , who has been charged with third-degree murder in Mr. Floyd ’ s death , with his knee on Mr. Floyd ’ s neck .
The newspaper ’ s story reported “ scenes like out of a civil war . ''
German media reported that an estimated 1,500 people gathered outside the U.S. embassy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,200 marched on Sunday .
In Canada , thousands turned out in Toronto 's Christie Pitts Park on Saturday , before they marched to police headquarters .
In Italy , the Corriere della Sera newspaper 's senior U.S. correspondent Massimo Gaggi wrote that the reaction to Mr. Floyd ’ s killing was “ different ” than previous cases of black Americans killed by police and the ensuring violence .
“ There are exasperated black movements that no longer preach nonviolent resistance , ” Mr. Gaggi wrote , noting the Minnesota governor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups are trying to fuel the chaos . ''
In countries with authoritarian governments , state-controlled media have been highlighting the chaos and violence of the U.S. demonstrations , in part to undermine American officials ’ criticism of their own nations .
In China , the protests are being viewed through the prism of U.S. government criticism of China 's crackdown on anti-government protests in Hong Kong .
Hu Xijin , the editor of the state-owned Global Times newspaper , tweeted that U.S. officials can now see protests out their own windows : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Secretary Pompeo : Should Beijing support protests in the U.S. , like you glorified rioters in Hong Kong ?
” Hua Chunying , a Chinese Foreign ministry spokeswoman , pointed out America 's racial unrest by tweeting “ I ca n't breathe , ” which Mr. Floyd said before his death .
In Iran , which has violently put down nationwide demonstrations by killing hundreds , arresting thousands , and disrupting internet access to the outside world , state television has repeatedly aired images of the U.S. unrest .
One TV anchor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , where police attacked protesters.
” Another state TV message accused U.S. police agencies in Washington of “ setting fire to cars and attacking protesters , ” without offering any evidence .
Russia accused the United States of “ systemic problems in the human rights sphere . ''
It denounced Mr. Floyd 's death as the latest in a series of police violence cases against African Americans .
“ This incident is far from the first in a series of lawless conduct and unjustified violence from U.S. law enforcement , ’ ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ American police commit such high-profile crimes all too often.
’ ’ There also have been expressions of solidarity with the demonstrators .
In Brazil , hundreds of people gathered in front of the Rio de Janeiro state government palace to protest crimes committed by the police against black people in Rio ’ s working-class neighborhoods , known as favelas .
The protest , called “ Black lives matter , ” was interrupted when police used tear gas to disperse people .
“ I can ’ t breathe ” , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the George Floyd´s death .
Protesters called for an end to police operations inside favelas .
They shouted the names of some victims followed by the word “ present !
” Rio has one of the most deadly police in Brazil .
In 2019 they killed 1,546 people , the highest number since 1998 , and much of that was during police operations in favelas .
Over the weekend , Lebanese anti-government protesters flooded social media with tweets sympathetic to U.S. protesters , using the hashtag # Americarevolts .
That 's a play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest movement – Lebanon revolts – which erupted on Oct. 17 last year .
Within 24 hours , the hashtag # Americanrevolts became the No .
1 trending tag in Lebanon .
In another expression of solidarity with American protesters , about 150 people marched through central Jerusalem on Saturday to protest the shooting death by Israeli police of an unarmed , autistic Palestinian man earlier in the day .
Israeli police mistakenly suspected that the man , Iyad Halak , was carrying a weapon .
When he failed to obey orders to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers David Rising in Berlin , Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , Frances D'Emilio in Rome , Zeina Karam in Beirut , Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem , Ken Moritsugu in Beijing , Jari Tanner in Helsinki , Finland , and Jim Heintz in Moscow , contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Nations around the world have watched in concern over the civil unrest in the United States following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing.
Racism-tinged events no longer startle even America’s closest allies, though many have watched coverage of the often-violent protests with growing unease. Burning cars and riot police in the U.S. featured on newspaper front pages around the globe Sunday – bumping news of the COVID-19 pandemic to second-tier status in some places.
Mr. Floyd's death on May 25 in Minneapolis was the latest in a series of deaths of black men and women at the hands of police in the U.S.
Thousands gathered in central London on Sunday to offer support for American demonstrators. Chanting "No justice! No peace!" and waving placards with the words “How many more?” at Trafalgar Square, the protesters ignored U.K. government rules banning crowds because of the pandemic. Police didn't stop them.
Demonstrators then marched to the U.S. Embassy, where a long line of officers surrounded the building. Several hundred milled around in the street and waved placards.
Protesters in Denmark also converged on the U.S. Embassy on Sunday. Participants carried placards with messages such as “Stop Killing Black People.”
The U.S. Embassy in Berlin was the scene of protests on Saturday under the motto: “Justice for George Floyd.” Several hundred more people took to the streets Sunday in the capital’s Kreuzberg area, carrying signs with slogans like “Silence is Violence,” “Hold Cops Accountable,” and “Who Do You Call When Police Murder?” No incidents were reported.
Germany’s top-selling Bild newspaper on Sunday carried the sensational headline “This killer-cop set America ablaze” with an arrow pointing to a photo of now-fired police officer Derek Chauvin, who has been charged with third-degree murder in Mr. Floyd’s death, with his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck. The newspaper’s story reported “scenes like out of a civil war." German media reported that an estimated 1,500 people gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Berlin on Saturday, and some 2,200 marched on Sunday.
In Canada, thousands turned out in Toronto's Christie Pitts Park on Saturday, before they marched to police headquarters.
In Italy, the Corriere della Sera newspaper's senior U.S. correspondent Massimo Gaggi wrote that the reaction to Mr. Floyd’s killing was “different” than previous cases of black Americans killed by police and the ensuring violence.
“There are exasperated black movements that no longer preach nonviolent resistance,” Mr. Gaggi wrote, noting the Minnesota governor’s warning that “anarchist and white supremacy groups are trying to fuel the chaos.''
In countries with authoritarian governments, state-controlled media have been highlighting the chaos and violence of the U.S. demonstrations, in part to undermine American officials’ criticism of their own nations.
In China, the protests are being viewed through the prism of U.S. government criticism of China's crackdown on anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
Hu Xijin, the editor of the state-owned Global Times newspaper, tweeted that U.S. officials can now see protests out their own windows: “I want to ask Speaker Pelosi and Secretary Pompeo: Should Beijing support protests in the U.S., like you glorified rioters in Hong Kong?”
Hua Chunying, a Chinese Foreign ministry spokeswoman, pointed out America's racial unrest by tweeting “I can't breathe,” which Mr. Floyd said before his death.
In Iran, which has violently put down nationwide demonstrations by killing hundreds, arresting thousands, and disrupting internet access to the outside world, state television has repeatedly aired images of the U.S. unrest. One TV anchor discussed “a horrible scene from New York, where police attacked protesters.” Another state TV message accused U.S. police agencies in Washington of “setting fire to cars and attacking protesters,” without offering any evidence.
Russia accused the United States of “systemic problems in the human rights sphere.'' It denounced Mr. Floyd's death as the latest in a series of police violence cases against African Americans.
“This incident is far from the first in a series of lawless conduct and unjustified violence from U.S. law enforcement,’’ the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “American police commit such high-profile crimes all too often.’’
There also have been expressions of solidarity with the demonstrators.
In Brazil, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Rio de Janeiro state government palace to protest crimes committed by the police against black people in Rio’s working-class neighborhoods, known as favelas.
The protest, called “Black lives matter,” was interrupted when police used tear gas to disperse people. “I can’t breathe”, said some of the demonstrators, alluding to the George Floyd´s death.
Protesters called for an end to police operations inside favelas. They shouted the names of some victims followed by the word “present!” Rio has one of the most deadly police in Brazil. In 2019 they killed 1,546 people, the highest number since 1998, and much of that was during police operations in favelas.
Over the weekend, Lebanese anti-government protesters flooded social media with tweets sympathetic to U.S. protesters, using the hashtag #Americarevolts. That's a play on the slogan for Lebanon’s protest movement – Lebanon revolts – which erupted on Oct. 17 last year. Within 24 hours, the hashtag #Americanrevolts became the No. 1 trending tag in Lebanon.
In another expression of solidarity with American protesters, about 150 people marched through central Jerusalem on Saturday to protest the shooting death by Israeli police of an unarmed, autistic Palestinian man earlier in the day. Israeli police mistakenly suspected that the man, Iyad Halak, was carrying a weapon. When he failed to obey orders to stop, officers opened fire.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers David Rising in Berlin, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Frances D'Emilio in Rome, Zeina Karam in Beirut, Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, Ken Moritsugu in Beijing, Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland, and Jim Heintz in Moscow, contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-04--Hong Kong passes anthem law on Tiananmen anniversary

Hong Kong 's legislature approved a contentious bill on Thursday that makes it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem .
Thursday 's vote coincided with the 31st anniversary of China 's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing 's Tiananmen Square .
Before the debate began , pro-democracy lawmakers stood in silence to mark the anniversary and put signs on their desks saying , `` Do not forget June 4 , the hearts of the people will not die . ''
With democracy all but snuffed out in mainland China , the focus has shifted increasingly to Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that remembers victims of the 1989 crackdown .
Thousands of people in Hong Kong defied a police ban Thursday evening , breaking through barricades to hold a candlelight vigil .
Police cited the need for social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak and barricaded sprawling Victoria Park to prevent people from gathering there .
Beijing is taking a tougher stance following months of anti-government protests last year , in what activists see as an accelerating erosion of the city 's rights and liberties .
Despite the police ban , crowds poured into Victoria Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of silence at 8:09 p.m. ( 8:09 a.m. EDT ) .
Many chanted “ Democracy now ” and “ Stand for freedom , stand with Hong Kong.
” '' If we don ’ t come out today , we don ’ t even know if we can still come out next year , ” said participant Serena Cheung .
While police played recordings warning people not to participate in the unauthorized gathering , they did little to stop people from entering the park .
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual vigil called on people to light candles at 8 p.m. and planned to livestream the commemorations on its website .
“ We all know the Hong Kong government and the Chinese government really don ’ t want to see the candle lights in Victoria Park , ” said Wu ’ er Kaixi , a former student leader who was No .
2 on the government ’ s most-wanted list following the Tiananmen Square crackdown .
Hundreds , possibly thousands of people were killed when tanks and troops moved in on the night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break up weeks of student-led protests that had spread to other cities and were seen as a threat to Communist Party rule .
“ The Chinese Communists want us all to forget about what happened 31 years ago , '' Mr. Wu'er told the AP in Taiwan , where he now resides .
`` But it is the Chinese government themselves reminding the whole world that they are the same government ... doing the same in Hong Kong.
” The legislation was approved after pro-democracy opposition lawmakers tried to disrupt the vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it and just one voting against .
Most of the pro-democracy lawmakers boycotted the vote out of protest .
The pro-democracy camp sees the anthem law as an infringement of freedom of expression and of the greater rights that residents of the semi-autonomous city have compared to mainland China .
The pro-Beijing majority in the legislature said the law is necessary for Hong Kong citizens to show appropriate respect for the anthem .
Those found guilty of intentionally abusing the `` March of the Volunteers '' face up to three years in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong dollars ( $ 6,450 ) .
Debate over the legislative was later suspended after pro-democracy lawmakers staged a protest , with one dropping a pot of pungent liquid in the chamber .
Raising a sign that said `` A murderous regime stinks for ten thousand years , '' lawmaker Ray Chan walked to the front with the pot hidden inside a Chinese paper lantern .
When security guards tried to stop him , he dropped the lantern and the pot , and was ejected from the meeting .
Another lawmaker who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chamber was evacuated and police and firemen were called in to investigate the incident .
When the meeting resumed , pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui again splashed some liquid at the front of the meeting room and was escorted out .
The president of Hong Kong 's legislature , Andrew Leung , called such behavior irresponsible and childish .
He cut short the debate because of the suspension and called for the vote .
Critics said the shortened debate allowed the bill to be pushed through .
`` I have not cut short the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill , '' Mr. Leung said afterward .
`` I have told members that I have scheduled 30 hours [ to debate the bill ] so we just work according to the schedule . ''
The contentious debate over the bill comes after China 's ceremonial national legislature formally approved a decision last week to enact a national security law for Hong Kong that could see Chinese security agents posted in the city .
The national security law is aimed at curbing subversive activity , with Beijing pushing for it after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent clashes between police and protesters .
Opponents of the anthem law and national security law see them as signs of Beijing 's tightening control over the territory .
While experts have warned that the security law could imperil Hong Kong 's status as one of the world 's best places to do business , at least two banks with a strong Asian presence have publicly backed the decision .
HSBC said in a Chinese social media post that it `` respects and supports all laws that stabilize Hong Kong 's social order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed the national security law would `` help maintain the long-term economic and social stability of Hong Kong . ''
Beijing began pushing for the anthem law after Hong Kong soccer fans jeered the national anthem at international matches in 2015 .
As anti-government protests engulfed Hong Kong last year , thousands of fans booed loudly and turned their backs when the anthem was played at a World Cup qualifier match against Iran in September .
FIFA later fined the Hong Kong Football Association over the incident .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong for banning the vigil earlier this week before meeting with a group of Tiananmen Square survivors at the State Department .
The cancellation of the vigil came amid a tightening of Beijing ’ s grip over Hong Kong .
China 's ceremonial legislature last month ratified a decision to impose national security laws on Hong Kong , circumventing the city ’ s legislature and shocking many of its 7.5 million residents .
Police said they made arrests in the city 's Mongkok district , where large crowds also rallied .
When several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers rushed to detain them , using pepper spray and raising a blue flag to warn them to disperse or they would use force on the unauthorized gathering .
On Twitter , they urged people not to gather in groups because of the coronavirus .
As has become customary , many dissidents were placed under house arrest and their communications with the outside world cut off , according to rights groups .
After the vigil ended in Victoria Park , groups of protesters dressed in black carried flags that said , “ Liberate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” as well as “ Hong Kong Independence.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Ken Moritsugu from Beijing , AP videojournalists Alice Fung and Katie Tam in Hong Kong and Taijing Wu in Taipei , Taiwan , contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Hong Kong's legislature approved a contentious bill on Thursday that makes it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem.
Thursday's vote coincided with the 31st anniversary of China's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Before the debate began, pro-democracy lawmakers stood in silence to mark the anniversary and put signs on their desks saying, "Do not forget June 4, the hearts of the people will not die."
With democracy all but snuffed out in mainland China, the focus has shifted increasingly to Hong Kong, where authorities banned the annual vigil that remembers victims of the 1989 crackdown. Thousands of people in Hong Kong defied a police ban Thursday evening, breaking through barricades to hold a candlelight vigil.
Police cited the need for social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak and barricaded sprawling Victoria Park to prevent people from gathering there. Beijing is taking a tougher stance following months of anti-government protests last year, in what activists see as an accelerating erosion of the city's rights and liberties.
Despite the police ban, crowds poured into Victoria Park to light candles and observed a minute of silence at 8:09 p.m. (8:09 a.m. EDT). Many chanted “Democracy now”and “Stand for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.”
"If we don’t come out today, we don’t even know if we can still come out next year,” said participant Serena Cheung.
While police played recordings warning people not to participate in the unauthorized gathering, they did little to stop people from entering the park.
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic and Democratic Movements of China that organizes the annual vigil called on people to light candles at 8 p.m. and planned to livestream the commemorations on its website.
“We all know the Hong Kong government and the Chinese government really don’t want to see the candle lights in Victoria Park,” said Wu’er Kaixi, a former student leader who was No. 2 on the government’s most-wanted list following the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Hundreds, possibly thousands of people were killed when tanks and troops moved in on the night of June 3-4, 1989, to break up weeks of student-led protests that had spread to other cities and were seen as a threat to Communist Party rule.
“The Chinese Communists want us all to forget about what happened 31 years ago," Mr. Wu'er told the AP in Taiwan, where he now resides. "But it is the Chinese government themselves reminding the whole world that they are the same government ... doing the same in Hong Kong.”
The legislation was approved after pro-democracy opposition lawmakers tried to disrupt the vote. It passed with 41 lawmakers voting for it and just one voting against. Most of the pro-democracy lawmakers boycotted the vote out of protest.
The pro-democracy camp sees the anthem law as an infringement of freedom of expression and of the greater rights that residents of the semi-autonomous city have compared to mainland China.
The pro-Beijing majority in the legislature said the law is necessary for Hong Kong citizens to show appropriate respect for the anthem.
Those found guilty of intentionally abusing the "March of the Volunteers" face up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 50,000 Hong Kong dollars ($6,450).
Debate over the legislative was later suspended after pro-democracy lawmakers staged a protest, with one dropping a pot of pungent liquid in the chamber.
Raising a sign that said "A murderous regime stinks for ten thousand years," lawmaker Ray Chan walked to the front with the pot hidden inside a Chinese paper lantern. When security guards tried to stop him, he dropped the lantern and the pot, and was ejected from the meeting. Another lawmaker who accompanied him was also ejected.
The chamber was evacuated and police and firemen were called in to investigate the incident.
When the meeting resumed, pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui again splashed some liquid at the front of the meeting room and was escorted out.
The president of Hong Kong's legislature, Andrew Leung, called such behavior irresponsible and childish. He cut short the debate because of the suspension and called for the vote. Critics said the shortened debate allowed the bill to be pushed through.
"I have not cut short the meeting, I have not pushed through the bill," Mr. Leung said afterward. "I have told members that I have scheduled 30 hours [to debate the bill] so we just work according to the schedule."
The contentious debate over the bill comes after China's ceremonial national legislature formally approved a decision last week to enact a national security law for Hong Kong that could see Chinese security agents posted in the city.
The national security law is aimed at curbing subversive activity, with Beijing pushing for it after a monthslong pro-democracy protest movement at times saw violent clashes between police and protesters.
Opponents of the anthem law and national security law see them as signs of Beijing's tightening control over the territory.
While experts have warned that the security law could imperil Hong Kong's status as one of the world's best places to do business, at least two banks with a strong Asian presence have publicly backed the decision.
HSBC said in a Chinese social media post that it "respects and supports all laws that stabilize Hong Kong's social order," while Standard Chartered said it believed the national security law would "help maintain the long-term economic and social stability of Hong Kong."
Beijing began pushing for the anthem law after Hong Kong soccer fans jeered the national anthem at international matches in 2015.
As anti-government protests engulfed Hong Kong last year, thousands of fans booed loudly and turned their backs when the anthem was played at a World Cup qualifier match against Iran in September. FIFA later fined the Hong Kong Football Association over the incident.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted criticism of China and Hong Kong for banning the vigil earlier this week before meeting with a group of Tiananmen Square survivors at the State Department.
The cancellation of the vigil came amid a tightening of Beijing’s grip over Hong Kong. China's ceremonial legislature last month ratified a decision to impose national security laws on Hong Kong, circumventing the city’s legislature and shocking many of its 7.5 million residents.
Police said they made arrests in the city's Mongkok district, where large crowds also rallied. When several protesters tried to block a road, officers rushed to detain them, using pepper spray and raising a blue flag to warn them to disperse or they would use force on the unauthorized gathering. On Twitter, they urged people not to gather in groups because of the coronavirus.
As has become customary, many dissidents were placed under house arrest and their communications with the outside world cut off, according to rights groups.
After the vigil ended in Victoria Park, groups of protesters dressed in black carried flags that said, “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our times” as well as “Hong Kong Independence.”
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Ken Moritsugu from Beijing, AP videojournalists Alice Fung and Katie Tam in Hong Kong and Taijing Wu in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-21--US unemployment rises to 39 million as states reopen

More than 2.4 million people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week in the latest wave of layoffs from the viral outbreak that triggered widespread business shutdowns two months ago and sent the economy into a deep recession .
Roughly 38.6 million people have now filed for jobless aid since the coronavirus forced millions of businesses to close their doors and shrink their workforces , the Labor Department said Thursday .
An additional 2.2 million people sought aid under a new federal program for self-employed , contractors , and gig workers , who are now eligible for jobless aid for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the previous week .
These figures are n't adjusted for seasonal variations , so the government does n't include them in the overall number of applications .
The continuing stream of heavy job cuts reflects an economy that is sinking into the worst recession since the Great Depression .
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated this week that the economy is shrinking at a 38 % annual rate in the April-June quarter .
That would be by far the worst quarterly contraction on record .
Nearly half of Americans say that either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with another adult who has lost pay through a job loss or reduced hours , the Census Bureau said in survey data released Wednesday .
More than one-fifth of Americans said they had little or no confidence in their ability to pay the next month 's rent or mortgage on time , the survey found .
During April , U.S. employers shed 20 million jobs , eliminating a decade 's worth of job growth in a single month .
The unemployment rate reached 14.7 % , the highest since the Depression .
Millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work were n't counted as unemployed because they did n't look for a new job .
Since then , 10 million more laid-off workers have applied for jobless benefits .
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in an interview Sunday that the unemployment rate could peak in May or June at 20 % to 25 % .
Across industries , major employers continue to announce job cuts .
Uber said this week that it will lay off 3,000 employees , on top of 3,700 it has already cut , because demand for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a TV and digital news organization tailored for younger people , announced 155 layoffs globally last week .
Digital publishers Quartz and BuzzFeed , magazine giant Conde Nast , and the company that owns the business-focused The Economist magazine also announced job cuts last week .
The total number of people receiving benefits rose from 2.5 million to 25 million in the week that ended May 9 , the latest period for which data is available .
Though the flood of layoffs has slowed , last week 's claim filings are still roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the virus struck .
And Stephen Stanley , chief economist at Amherst Pierpont , said the most recent layoffs may be particularly worrisome because they 're happening even as states are gradually reopening their economies .
This could mean that many companies foresee scant likelihood of a substantial economic recovery anytime soon and so still feel a need to cut jobs .
`` There 's a high probability that those layoffs could persist for longer than those that were a function of [ businesses ] just being closed , '' Mr. Stanley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some companies have begun to rehire a limited number of their laid-off employees as states have eased restrictions on movement and commerce .
One rehired worker , Norman Boughman , received an email last week from his boss at a second-hand clothing store in Richmond where he 'd worked part time , asking him to return , one day before Virginia allowed most retailers to reopen .
Mr. Boughman , who had applied for unemployment benefits to no avail , was happy to be paid again .
So far , the job seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been busy , and the owner has n't expressed any concerns about business .
But even while wearing a mask , Mr. Boughman worries about the potential threat to his health .
`` We 're having to sort through people 's things , and I feel like that puts us at a higher risk , '' he said .
Some economists see tentative signs that economic activity might be starting to recover , if only slightly , now that all the states have moved toward relaxing some restrictions on movement and commerce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. automakers , plus Toyota and Honda , recalled roughly 130,000 of their employees back to factories for the first time since the plants had closed in March .
That 's about half the industry 's workforce .
Some auto executives say sales have held up well enough to support the recall of those employees .
Still , the automakers , like other businesses , are also grappling with the health risks of operating during a pandemic .
On Tuesday , Ford had to halt production at two assembly plants after three workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers were quarantined for 14 days , and the plants underwent cleaning .
Data from Apple 's mapping service shows that more Americans are driving and searching for directions .
Restaurant reservations have risen modestly in states that have been open longer , according to the app OpenTable , although they remain far below pre-virus levels .
In most industries , employees are working more hours than in mid-April , the peak of the virus-related shutdowns nationwide .
Data from Kronos , a software company that tracks 3 million hourly workers , shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies are up 16 % since the week that ended April 12 .
Still , the shifts are still down a sizable 25 % from pre-virus levels .
Even in states that have been reopened the longest , like Georgia , not enough shoppers are visiting stores and restaurants to support significant rehiring , said David Gilbertson , an executive at Kronos .
`` Our data is suggesting this recovery is going to take a while , '' Mr. Gilbertson said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

More than 2.4 million people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week in the latest wave of layoffs from the viral outbreak that triggered widespread business shutdowns two months ago and sent the economy into a deep recession.
Roughly 38.6 million people have now filed for jobless aid since the coronavirus forced millions of businesses to close their doors and shrink their workforces, the Labor Department said Thursday.
An additional 2.2 million people sought aid under a new federal program for self-employed, contractors, and gig workers, who are now eligible for jobless aid for the first time, up from 850,000 in the previous week. These figures aren't adjusted for seasonal variations, so the government doesn't include them in the overall number of applications.
The continuing stream of heavy job cuts reflects an economy that is sinking into the worst recession since the Great Depression. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated this week that the economy is shrinking at a 38% annual rate in the April-June quarter. That would be by far the worst quarterly contraction on record.
Nearly half of Americans say that either their incomes have declined or they live with another adult who has lost pay through a job loss or reduced hours, the Census Bureau said in survey data released Wednesday. More than one-fifth of Americans said they had little or no confidence in their ability to pay the next month's rent or mortgage on time, the survey found.
During April, U.S. employers shed 20 million jobs, eliminating a decade's worth of job growth in a single month. The unemployment rate reached 14.7%, the highest since the Depression. Millions of other people who were out of work weren't counted as unemployed because they didn't look for a new job.
Since then, 10 million more laid-off workers have applied for jobless benefits. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in an interview Sunday that the unemployment rate could peak in May or June at 20% to 25%.
Across industries, major employers continue to announce job cuts. Uber said this week that it will lay off 3,000 employees, on top of 3,700 it has already cut, because demand for its ride-hailing services has plummeted. Vice, a TV and digital news organization tailored for younger people, announced 155 layoffs globally last week.
Digital publishers Quartz and BuzzFeed, magazine giant Conde Nast, and the company that owns the business-focused The Economist magazine also announced job cuts last week.
The total number of people receiving benefits rose from 2.5 million to 25 million in the week that ended May 9, the latest period for which data is available.
Though the flood of layoffs has slowed, last week's claim filings are still roughly 10 times the typical number that prevailed before the virus struck. And Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont, said the most recent layoffs may be particularly worrisome because they're happening even as states are gradually reopening their economies. This could mean that many companies foresee scant likelihood of a substantial economic recovery anytime soon and so still feel a need to cut jobs.
"There's a high probability that those layoffs could persist for longer than those that were a function of [businesses] just being closed," Mr. Stanley said.
At the same time, some companies have begun to rehire a limited number of their laid-off employees as states have eased restrictions on movement and commerce.
One rehired worker, Norman Boughman, received an email last week from his boss at a second-hand clothing store in Richmond where he'd worked part time, asking him to return, one day before Virginia allowed most retailers to reopen.
Mr. Boughman, who had applied for unemployment benefits to no avail, was happy to be paid again. So far, the job seems secure to him, because the store has been busy, and the owner hasn't expressed any concerns about business. But even while wearing a mask, Mr. Boughman worries about the potential threat to his health.
"We're having to sort through people's things, and I feel like that puts us at a higher risk," he said.
Some economists see tentative signs that economic activity might be starting to recover, if only slightly, now that all the states have moved toward relaxing some restrictions on movement and commerce.
Last week, the three major U.S. automakers, plus Toyota and Honda, recalled roughly 130,000 of their employees back to factories for the first time since the plants had closed in March. That's about half the industry's workforce. Some auto executives say sales have held up well enough to support the recall of those employees.
Still, the automakers, like other businesses, are also grappling with the health risks of operating during a pandemic. On Tuesday, Ford had to halt production at two assembly plants after three workers tested positive for the coronavirus. The workers were quarantined for 14 days, and the plants underwent cleaning.
Data from Apple's mapping service shows that more Americans are driving and searching for directions. Restaurant reservations have risen modestly in states that have been open longer, according to the app OpenTable, although they remain far below pre-virus levels.
In most industries, employees are working more hours than in mid-April, the peak of the virus-related shutdowns nationwide. Data from Kronos, a software company that tracks 3 million hourly workers, shows that shifts worked at its 3,000 client companies are up 16% since the week that ended April 12. Still, the shifts are still down a sizable 25% from pre-virus levels.
Even in states that have been reopened the longest, like Georgia, not enough shoppers are visiting stores and restaurants to support significant rehiring, said David Gilbertson, an executive at Kronos.
"Our data is suggesting this recovery is going to take a while," Mr. Gilbertson said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-06-05--Global anti-racism protests face bans over virus concerns

An Australian court sided with police in ruling on Friday that a Black Lives Matter protest planned for Sydney poses too much risk for spreading the coronavirus and can not be held .
Thousands of people were expected to rally in Australia ’ s largest city on Saturday afternoon to honor George Floyd and to protest against the deaths of indigenous Australians in custody .
But New South Wales state Supreme Court Justice Des Fagan ruled the rally was not an authorized public assembly .
Mr. Fagan said he understood the rally was designed to coincide with similar events in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t diminish the importance of the issues and no one would deny them in normal circumstances , ” he said .
“ No one denies them that but we ’ re talking about a situation of a health crisis.
” In Sydney , outdoor gatherings are restricted to 10 people , while up to 50 people can go to funerals , places of worship , restaurants , pubs , and cafes .
State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said organizers initially proposed a protest , but protesters could not guarantee social distancing protocols would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given up so much and worked so hard to make sure we get on top of the virus , ” Ms. Berejiklian told reporters .
Earlier Friday , demonstrators in the capital reminded the country that racial inequality is not an American issue alone .
Organizers of the Canberra rally that attracted about 2,000 demonstrators handed out masks and hand sanitizer .
Most protesters kept a recommended social distance but drew closer to hear speeches .
Public gatherings are limited to 20 in Canberra , but police did not intervene .
School teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Butchulla indigenous people , said Australia should not accept that more than 430 indigenous Australians have died in police custody or prison in the past three decades .
“ We ’ re not here to jump on the bandwagon of what ’ s happened in the United States , ” Ms. Brookman said .
“ We ’ re here to voice what ’ s happening to our indigenous people.
” One of the protesters ’ signs read “ I can ’ t breathe '' and drew a parallel between Mr. Floyd ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 and the Australian indigenous experience .
Those words were among the last spoken by Mr. Floyd and also an indigenous Australian , David Dungay , who died in a prison hospital in 2015 while being restrained by five guards .
In South Korea , dozens gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy to condemn what they described as police brutality toward protesters in the U.S .
They called for South Korea ’ s government to speak against the “ racial discrimination and state violence ” of its ally and pushed for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrant workers , undocumented foreigners , and other minorities .
“ As the U.S. civil society empowered and stood in solidarity with Korean pro-democracy activists in the past , we will now stand in solidarity with citizens in the United States , ” said activist Lee Sang-hyun , referring to South Koreans ’ bloody struggles against military dictatorships that ruled the country until the late 1980s .
Holding a banner that read “ Justice for Floyd , ” most of the protesters wore black and some brought flowers in honor of Mr. Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police officer pressed his neck with a knee for several minutes while he pleaded for air .
Larger marches are planned in Seoul on Saturday to protest Mr. Floyd ’ s death .
Police have banned a planned protest against police violence in Paris on Saturday because of health measures restricting gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic .
A protest decrying systemic racism and calling for justice for Mr. Floyd and other victims of police brutality was planned to take place outside the U.S. Embassy .
But on Friday , Police Prefect Didier Lallement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” because virus safety measures “ prohibit any gathering , in the public space , of more than 10 people.
” He issued an order banning the Floyd demonstration and another protest planned for the same day .
Mr. Lallement said “ in addition to the disturbances to public order that these rallies can generate ... the health risks they could cause remain significant.
” Meanwhile , the Islamic State group says protests across the United States and the repercussions of the coronavirus on Western countries will weaken these nations and divert their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published Friday in an editorial in the extremist group 's online weekly newspaper Al-Nabaa were its first on protests in America after last week ’ s death of Mr. Floyd while a policeman put a knee to his neck .
Al-Nabaa said protests have been occurring in the U.S. since it was founded , but this year “ coincide with the negative effects of the pandemic on the country ’ s economy.
” Al-Nabaa said the pandemic will weaken “ infidel states.
” In recent weeks , the militants have taken advantage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their former self-declared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria .
South Africa ’ s ruling party says it is launching a “ Black Friday ” campaign in response to the “ heinous murder ” of Mr. Floyd and “ institutionalized racism ” in the U.S. , at home , in China , and “ wherever it rears its ugly head.
” A statement by the African National Congress says President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday evening will address the launch of the campaign that calls on people to wear black on Fridays in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to highlight “ deaths by citizens at the hands of security forces ” in South Africa , which remains one of the world ’ s most unequal countries a quarter-century after the end of the racist system of apartheid .
“ The demon of racism remains a blight on the soul of our nation , ” the ANC statement says .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It @ @ @ @

An Australian court sided with police in ruling on Friday that a Black Lives Matter protest planned for Sydney poses too much risk for spreading the coronavirus and cannot be held.
Thousands of people were expected to rally in Australia’s largest city on Saturday afternoon to honor George Floyd and to protest against the deaths of indigenous Australians in custody.
But New South Wales state Supreme Court Justice Des Fagan ruled the rally was not an authorized public assembly. Mr. Fagan said he understood the rally was designed to coincide with similar events in other countries.
“I don’t diminish the importance of the issues and no one would deny them in normal circumstances,” he said. “No one denies them that but we’re talking about a situation of a health crisis.”
In Sydney, outdoor gatherings are restricted to 10 people, while up to 50 people can go to funerals, places of worship, restaurants, pubs, and cafes.
State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said organizers initially proposed a protest, but protesters could not guarantee social distancing protocols would be followed.
“All of us have given up so much and worked so hard to make sure we get on top of the virus,” Ms. Berejiklian told reporters.
Earlier Friday, demonstrators in the capital reminded the country that racial inequality is not an American issue alone.
Organizers of the Canberra rally that attracted about 2,000 demonstrators handed out masks and hand sanitizer. Most protesters kept a recommended social distance but drew closer to hear speeches. Public gatherings are limited to 20 in Canberra, but police did not intervene.
School teacher Wendy Brookman, a member of the Butchulla indigenous people, said Australia should not accept that more than 430 indigenous Australians have died in police custody or prison in the past three decades.
“We’re not here to jump on the bandwagon of what’s happened in the United States,” Ms. Brookman said. “We’re here to voice what’s happening to our indigenous people.”
One of the protesters’ signs read “I can’t breathe" and drew a parallel between Mr. Floyd’s death in the United States on May 25 and the Australian indigenous experience. Those words were among the last spoken by Mr. Floyd and also an indigenous Australian, David Dungay, who died in a prison hospital in 2015 while being restrained by five guards.
In South Korea, dozens gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy to condemn what they described as police brutality toward protesters in the U.S. They called for South Korea’s government to speak against the “racial discrimination and state violence” of its ally and pushed for an anti-discrimination law to improve the lives of migrant workers, undocumented foreigners, and other minorities.
“As the U.S. civil society empowered and stood in solidarity with Korean pro-democracy activists in the past, we will now stand in solidarity with citizens in the United States,” said activist Lee Sang-hyun, referring to South Koreans’ bloody struggles against military dictatorships that ruled the country until the late 1980s.
Holding a banner that read “Justice for Floyd,” most of the protesters wore black and some brought flowers in honor of Mr. Floyd, who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his neck with a knee for several minutes while he pleaded for air.
Larger marches are planned in Seoul on Saturday to protest Mr. Floyd’s death.
Police have banned a planned protest against police violence in Paris on Saturday because of health measures restricting gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
A protest decrying systemic racism and calling for justice for Mr. Floyd and other victims of police brutality was planned to take place outside the U.S. Embassy.
But on Friday, Police Prefect Didier Lallement said such protests “are not authorized” because virus safety measures “prohibit any gathering, in the public space, of more than 10 people.” He issued an order banning the Floyd demonstration and another protest planned for the same day.
Mr. Lallement said “in addition to the disturbances to public order that these rallies can generate ... the health risks they could cause remain significant.”
Meanwhile, the Islamic State group says protests across the United States and the repercussions of the coronavirus on Western countries will weaken these nations and divert their attention from Muslim countries.
The comments published Friday in an editorial in the extremist group's online weekly newspaper Al-Nabaa were its first on protests in America after last week’s death of Mr. Floyd while a policeman put a knee to his neck.
Al-Nabaa said protests have been occurring in the U.S. since it was founded, but this year “coincide with the negative effects of the pandemic on the country’s economy.” Al-Nabaa said the pandemic will weaken “infidel states.”
In recent weeks, the militants have taken advantage of the pandemic to launch deadly attacks in their former self-declared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria.
South Africa’s ruling party says it is launching a “Black Friday” campaign in response to the “heinous murder” of Mr. Floyd and “institutionalized racism” in the U.S., at home, in China, and “wherever it rears its ugly head.”
A statement by the African National Congress says President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday evening will address the launch of the campaign that calls on people to wear black on Fridays in solidarity.
The campaign is also meant to highlight “deaths by citizens at the hands of security forces” in South Africa, which remains one of the world’s most unequal countries a quarter-century after the end of the racist system of apartheid.
“The demon of racism remains a blight on the soul of our nation,” the ANC statement says.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-05-18--An impossible comeback? The small New York shops trying to survive.

But many businesspeople are hardly ready to give up .
Take contractor Aaron Bloom .
He wonders if potential clients will prefer hiring him because he was already sick with the coronavirus .
“ There ’ s reason to be hopeful , ” he says .
“ That ’ s all I can do.
” Pilates Reforming New York is one of 230,000 small and midsize businesses in New York City .
It ’ s unclear how many of these establishments have closed because of the coronavirus shelter-in , but anecdotal evidence based on a swath of Manhattan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half .
That mirrors national research that estimates COVID-19 has temporarily closed more than 40 % of businesses .
When Ms. Toran and her husband , Errol Toran , are allowed to reopen the studios , they doubt revenues will sustain them .
The clients are not going to be thinking about exercise , Mr. Toran says .
“ They ’ ll be thinking about [ their own ] food and rent.
” In a typical April at Pilates Reforming New York , 2,500 clients would be using special reformer machines , strengthening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But this April , with the studios closed , owner Ann Toran instead conducted mat classes via Zoom .
Just 433 clients joined in .
They ’ ve had no real customers since March .
Bills are overdue , and landlords need money again .
Savings are gone .
Tens of thousands of small independent New York City businesses are hunkered down , trying to find a way through the most punishing economic calamity in generations .
Many have already called it quits .
Unlike thousands of essential businesses in New York that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order , these nonessential shops have not opened their doors in two months .
While less populated areas of New York state began emerging from lockdown last Friday , city businesses know their rollout will be on pause for some time .
Mayor Bill de Blasio said in early May that reopening the city “ is a few months away at a minimum , ” though last week he said nonessential businesses could begin opening in June if statistics continued to improve .
The timing is brutal .
Spring is the busiest season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they need these months to carry them through the rest of the year .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
It ’ s unclear how many of New York ’ s small businesses have closed because of the coronavirus shelter-in , though anecdotal evidence based on a swath of Manhattan ’ s Upper East Side suggests it could be about half .
That mirrors national research that estimates COVID-19 has temporarily closed more than 40 % of businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and almost 2 % of other small companies are permanently closed .
Operating in one of the most competitive , expensive , regulated , and taxed cities in the nation has long kept New York ’ s small-business owners up at night .
Now these barbers , antique shop proprietors , and bookstore owners must become instant experts on public health , new government regulations , and still-evolving consumer psychology .
There are other challenges : Six-foot distancing will mean a significant financial blow if businesses counted on crowds to survive .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but may ultimately ditch the 10-person queue to shop online at home .
New York City has some 230,000 small and midsize businesses selling just about anything that can be had , from handmade hats and custom acrylic furniture to sari material and sheet metal .
The question now is how many of these specialty shops can survive .
Even in a city of more than 8.3 million people , there ’ s only so much demand , given that unemployment could top 12 % this year and layoffs are likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local businesses – arguably the heart and soul of the city – may not survive the COVID-19 shutdown , says Jonathan Bowles , executive director of the Center for an Urban Future , an independent think tank .
The first closures should be apparent by Aug. 20 , when the city ’ s temporary ban on evictions is expected to end .
“ It ’ s bad enough already , but unless these small businesses start making money soon , I just don ’ t know how they ’ re going to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even before COVID-19 , many small businesses around the country were fragile and missed out on the decade-plus economic expansion .
According to a new report by the regional Federal Reserve banks , 30 % of firms with fewer than 500 employees last year were classified as “ at risk ” or “ distressed ” ; 64 % reported financial challenges during that time ; and 86 % said they would need to cut salaries , incur debt , or take other action if they missed two months of revenue .
Karen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are among those entrepreneurs who are up against it .
Long before the coronavirus temporarily closed their Upper West Side shoe store , The Shoe Tree , Ms. Dixon says they had been living month to month .
Generally , the middle of May would find The Shoe Tree packed with families , and the storeroom overflowing with some 400 pairs of shoes .
On average , they ’ d tally 40 sales a day .
Instead , the couple are cleaning their store , postponing deliveries , and hoping suppliers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the rest of the state , businesses in the city ’ s five boroughs will roll out based on how essential they are and how much risk their opening would pose .
Shoe stores and other retail are likely to be in the second wave of openings , after businesses like construction and manufacturing .
Regardless of when The Shoe Tree returns , Ms. Dixon worries about whether parents will bring their children .
She also fears a further push toward digital sales .
“ People are sitting at home online , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their children online and not come into the store .
We have a big concern that our customers won ’ t come back .
Situations like this really push consumers in that online direction , ” says Ms. Dixon , who is also a furloughed soprano in The Metropolitan Opera chorus .
When the store reopens , she says staff will institute protective measures such as wearing masks and sanitizing their hands after each customer .
She hopes new signs will strike the right tone between welcoming customers and reminding them that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside at once .
Spring is also a busy season for Pilates Reforming New York .
Any normal April would have 2,500 clients splayed out on special reformer machines , strengthening their abs and improving their balance .
Owner Ann Toran and her 18 instructors would be coaching the in-person classes at four studios seven days a week .
But by this April , the studios were all closed , and most instructors were collecting unemployment benefits .
Using Zoom , Ms. Toran was conducting mat classes from her New Jersey home studio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in .
They did isometric and floor exercises , rather than working out on a machine with pulleys .
When Ms. Toran and her husband , Errol Toran , are allowed to reopen the studios , they doubt revenues will sustain them .
“ Even if we were ready to rock-and-roll the first day we could open , that ’ s not necessarily what our clients ’ priorities will be , ” says Mr. Toran , a chiropractor .
“ They ’ re thinking , ‘ How do I survive ?
’ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about exercise .
They ’ ll be thinking about [ their own ] food and rent.
” Like many small New York City businesses , Pilates Reforming New York didn ’ t have a financial cushion , thanks to high salaries , six-digit annual rent , hefty taxes , red tape , reinvestment in the business , and small margins .
In January , however , the year had been looking good : Lengthy renovations were done , and all four studios were running .
Now the Torans hope to stay afloat by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the sale of used equipment they no longer need .
They ’ ve also canceled leases on two underperforming studios , thanks to a so-called good guy ( or gal ) clause that lets tenants who are current on their rent pay a fee to quit their lease early .
As for the two locations the Torans are keeping , they paid what they could on one and are hoping for the best with the other .
Perhaps no single group of businesses has been hit as hard by lockdowns as have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 % to 75 % of the country ’ s independent eateries could fail before the economy recovers .
Two-thirds of American restaurant workers had been laid off by mid-April , and at least 40 % of restaurants were closed , according to the National Restaurant Association .
Dine-in restaurant service is in the third of New York state ’ s four-stage reopening plan .
Hell ’ s Kitchen restaurateur Daniel Assaf closed on March 15 , and he has no idea when he might reopen the dining room at his fondue and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many local owners , he didn ’ t bother with takeout or delivery because he worried about the risk to staff .
Yet from a financial standpoint , he knows he needs to reopen soon .
“ Our chef is 59 .
I don ’ t want on my conscience that we opened too early , ” says Mr. Assaf , who has bought masks , gloves , and cleaning supplies and is considering using ultraviolet lights to disinfect the restaurant each night .
He says he expects to bring back a skeleton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grab-and-go appetizers and salads .
The dining room will have less than half its former 60-person capacity .
Mr. Assaf does have one suggestion – that the city allow restaurants to open outside dining areas on streets that have been closed during the pandemic and turned into pedestrian walkways .
Like most other restaurateurs , Mr. Assaf is underwater .
He owes more than half of April ’ s rent , all of May ’ s , and another $ 50,000 to $ 60,000 to companies that provide food , wine , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out terms .
Like colleagues across the nation , he says the Paycheck Protection Program needs to change so businesses can use more of the proceeds to pay landlords and suppliers , rather than just staff .
For some restaurants , the way through COVID-19 is to go out of business .
Lower East Side restaurateur Stefan Jonot says that of the 300 or so local restaurant owners with whom he ’ s in touch , 20 % have either closed or are preparing to do so .
As for his Les Enfants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not open until September or later .
Even then , it would be at 40 % of its former capacity – and revenues .
Mr. Jonot plans to open on a limited basis soon to sell family-style , heat-and-eat meals .
Chicken and sides for four will run about $ 50 .
Mr. Jonot needs the proceeds to help pay expenses , though he says he is current on the rent , thanks to crowdfunding .
For many establishments , the importance of flexibility has never been more apparent .
Logos Bookstore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quiet strip on the East Side , has been in business for 25 years selling greeting cards , CDs , puzzles , and books .
Like many independent companies , it ’ s primarily a brick-and-mortar setup , but owner Harris Healy is trying to bump up its online exposure .
This month , Logos launched a virtual children ’ s story hour on Mondays , and it ’ s planning a similar book club for adults .
“ If you don ’ t have the right technology , you might as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward in the world is going to be tech , ” says Mr. Healy , who sold about 40 books online in the past two months , compared with 500 in the store in a normal two months .
An online presence allowed the venerable Strand Book Store to reopen early .
After having been closed for five weeks , this granddaddy of New York ’ s independent bookstores began taking online orders on April 25 – weeks before any bookstore in the state was allowed to resume limited operations for on-site customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesspeople are hardly ready to give up – such as contractor Aaron Bloom , whose Brooklyn company is Uncanny Creations .
He was sick with the coronavirus for three weeks in March and April .
But in the coming months , he ’ s hoping to get jobs from homebound workers who want designated nooks ( or walls ) where they can Zoom and do other tasks .
He figures if he can show he ’ s immune to COVID-19 , potential clients may prefer hiring him .
“ I recognize that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but there ’ s reason to be hopeful , ” he says .
“ That ’ s all I can do.
” Editor ’ s note : The part of this story about Mr. Jonot 's rent obligations has been updated .
As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

But many businesspeople are hardly ready to give up. Take contractor Aaron Bloom. He wonders if potential clients will prefer hiring him because he was already sick with the coronavirus. “There’s reason to be hopeful,” he says. “That’s all I can do.”
Pilates Reforming New York is one of 230,000 small and midsize businesses in New York City. It’s unclear how many of these establishments have closed because of the coronavirus shelter-in, but anecdotal evidence based on a swath of Manhattan’s Upper East Side suggests it could be half. That mirrors national research that estimates COVID-19 has temporarily closed more than 40% of businesses.
What will happen to all the businesses that have been shuttered? Even before the pandemic, many were operating on small profit margins – and now a host of changed economic realities means owners are facing tough decisions.
When Ms. Toran and her husband, Errol Toran, are allowed to reopen the studios, they doubt revenues will sustain them. The clients are not going to be thinking about exercise, Mr. Toran says. “They’ll be thinking about [their own] food and rent.”
In a typical April at Pilates Reforming New York, 2,500 clients would be using special reformer machines, strengthening their abs and improving their balance. But this April, with the studios closed, owner Ann Toran instead conducted mat classes via Zoom. Just 433 clients joined in.
They’ve had no real customers since March. Bills are overdue, and landlords need money again. Savings are gone. Tens of thousands of small independent New York City businesses are hunkered down, trying to find a way through the most punishing economic calamity in generations. Many have already called it quits.
Unlike thousands of essential businesses in New York that have been limping through the coronavirus stay-at-home order, these nonessential shops have not opened their doors in two months.
While less populated areas of New York state began emerging from lockdown last Friday, city businesses know their rollout will be on pause for some time. Mayor Bill de Blasio said in early May that reopening the city “is a few months away at a minimum,” though last week he said nonessential businesses could begin opening in June if statistics continued to improve.
Why We Wrote This What will happen to all the businesses that have been shuttered? Even before the pandemic, many were operating on small profit margins – and now a host of changed economic realities means owners are facing tough decisions.
The timing is brutal. Spring is the busiest season for many of these shuttered businesses, and they need these months to carry them through the rest of the year.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
It’s unclear how many of New York’s small businesses have closed because of the coronavirus shelter-in, though anecdotal evidence based on a swath of Manhattan’s Upper East Side suggests it could be about half. That mirrors national research that estimates COVID-19 has temporarily closed more than 40% of businesses. And another 3% of restaurants and almost 2% of other small companies are permanently closed.
Operating in one of the most competitive, expensive, regulated, and taxed cities in the nation has long kept New York’s small-business owners up at night. Now these barbers, antique shop proprietors, and bookstore owners must become instant experts on public health, new government regulations, and still-evolving consumer psychology. There are other challenges: Six-foot distancing will mean a significant financial blow if businesses counted on crowds to survive. And loyal customers may want to shop local, but may ultimately ditch the 10-person queue to shop online at home.
New York City has some 230,000 small and midsize businesses selling just about anything that can be had, from handmade hats and custom acrylic furniture to sari material and sheet metal. The question now is how many of these specialty shops can survive. Even in a city of more than 8.3 million people, there’s only so much demand, given that unemployment could top 12% this year and layoffs are likely to extend through March 2021.
Thousands of local businesses – arguably the heart and soul of the city – may not survive the COVID-19 shutdown, says Jonathan Bowles, executive director of the Center for an Urban Future, an independent think tank. The first closures should be apparent by Aug. 20, when the city’s temporary ban on evictions is expected to end.
“It’s bad enough already, but unless these small businesses start making money soon, I just don’t know how they’re going to pay the bills,” Mr. Bowles says.
Mark Lennihan/AP View caption Hide caption Sara Gilmore poses in her Brooklyn hair salon in New York April 27, 2020. Since her salon was forced to close by the coronavirus, Ms. Gilmore is maintaining some business income by offering do-it-yourself color kits packed with clients' preferred formulas.
Even before COVID-19, many small businesses around the country were fragile and missed out on the decade-plus economic expansion. According to a new report by the regional Federal Reserve banks, 30% of firms with fewer than 500 employees last year were classified as “at risk” or “distressed”; 64% reported financial challenges during that time; and 86% said they would need to cut salaries, incur debt, or take other action if they missed two months of revenue.
Living month to month – pre-coronavirus
Karen Dixon and her husband, Essam Moussa, are among those entrepreneurs who are up against it. Long before the coronavirus temporarily closed their Upper West Side shoe store, The Shoe Tree, Ms. Dixon says they had been living month to month.
Generally, the middle of May would find The Shoe Tree packed with families, and the storeroom overflowing with some 400 pairs of shoes. On average, they’d tally 40 sales a day. Instead, the couple are cleaning their store, postponing deliveries, and hoping suppliers will have shoes whenever they reopen.
As in the rest of the state, businesses in the city’s five boroughs will roll out based on how essential they are and how much risk their opening would pose. Shoe stores and other retail are likely to be in the second wave of openings, after businesses like construction and manufacturing. Regardless of when The Shoe Tree returns, Ms. Dixon worries about whether parents will bring their children. She also fears a further push toward digital sales.
“People are sitting at home online, working, so they can order shoes for their children online and not come into the store. We have a big concern that our customers won’t come back. Situations like this really push consumers in that online direction,” says Ms. Dixon, who is also a furloughed soprano in The Metropolitan Opera chorus.
When the store reopens, she says staff will institute protective measures such as wearing masks and sanitizing their hands after each customer. She hopes new signs will strike the right tone between welcoming customers and reminding them that only a few shoppers will be allowed inside at once.
An elusive financial cushion
Spring is also a busy season for Pilates Reforming New York. Any normal April would have 2,500 clients splayed out on special reformer machines, strengthening their abs and improving their balance. Owner Ann Toran and her 18 instructors would be coaching the in-person classes at four studios seven days a week.
But by this April, the studios were all closed, and most instructors were collecting unemployment benefits. Using Zoom, Ms. Toran was conducting mat classes from her New Jersey home studio, but just 433 clients had joined in. They did isometric and floor exercises, rather than working out on a machine with pulleys.
When Ms. Toran and her husband, Errol Toran, are allowed to reopen the studios, they doubt revenues will sustain them.
“Even if we were ready to rock-and-roll the first day we could open, that’s not necessarily what our clients’ priorities will be,” says Mr. Toran, a chiropractor. “They’re thinking, ‘How do I survive?’ They’re not going to be thinking about exercise. They’ll be thinking about [their own] food and rent.”
Like many small New York City businesses, Pilates Reforming New York didn’t have a financial cushion, thanks to high salaries, six-digit annual rent, hefty taxes, red tape, reinvestment in the business, and small margins. In January, however, the year had been looking good: Lengthy renovations were done, and all four studios were running. Now the Torans hope to stay afloat by Zoom teaching, online professional development, and the sale of used equipment they no longer need.
They’ve also canceled leases on two underperforming studios, thanks to a so-called good guy (or gal) clause that lets tenants who are current on their rent pay a fee to quit their lease early. As for the two locations the Torans are keeping, they paid what they could on one and are hoping for the best with the other.
The view from Hell’s Kitchen
Perhaps no single group of businesses has been hit as hard by lockdowns as have restaurants. Estimates are that anywhere from 30% to 75% of the country’s independent eateries could fail before the economy recovers. Two-thirds of American restaurant workers had been laid off by mid-April, and at least 40% of restaurants were closed, according to the National Restaurant Association. Dine-in restaurant service is in the third of New York state’s four-stage reopening plan.
Hell’s Kitchen restaurateur Daniel Assaf closed on March 15, and he has no idea when he might reopen the dining room at his fondue and tapas restaurant, Kashkaval Garden. Unlike many local owners, he didn’t bother with takeout or delivery because he worried about the risk to staff. Yet from a financial standpoint, he knows he needs to reopen soon.
“Our chef is 59. I don’t want on my conscience that we opened too early,” says Mr. Assaf, who has bought masks, gloves, and cleaning supplies and is considering using ultraviolet lights to disinfect the restaurant each night.
He says he expects to bring back a skeleton crew for takeout, delivery, and grab-and-go appetizers and salads. The dining room will have less than half its former 60-person capacity. Mr. Assaf does have one suggestion – that the city allow restaurants to open outside dining areas on streets that have been closed during the pandemic and turned into pedestrian walkways.
Like most other restaurateurs, Mr. Assaf is underwater. He owes more than half of April’s rent, all of May’s, and another $50,000 to $60,000 to companies that provide food, wine, and linens – though they are all working out terms. Like colleagues across the nation, he says the Paycheck Protection Program needs to change so businesses can use more of the proceeds to pay landlords and suppliers, rather than just staff.
For some restaurants, the way through COVID-19 is to go out of business.
Lower East Side restaurateur Stefan Jonot says that of the 300 or so local restaurant owners with whom he’s in touch, 20% have either closed or are preparing to do so. As for his Les Enfants de Bohème, the dining room may not open until September or later. Even then, it would be at 40% of its former capacity – and revenues.
Mr. Jonot plans to open on a limited basis soon to sell family-style, heat-and-eat meals. Chicken and sides for four will run about $50. Mr. Jonot needs the proceeds to help pay expenses, though he says he is current on the rent, thanks to crowdfunding.
Andrew Hohmann View caption Hide caption Logos Bookstore owner Harris Healy says he wants to increase his establishment's online presence, at his store on April 23, 2020. This month, Logos launched a virtual children’s story hour on Mondays, and it’s planning a similar book club for adults.
The importance of flexibility
For many establishments, the importance of flexibility has never been more apparent. Logos Bookstore, a quaint, old-fashioned bookshop on a quiet strip on the East Side, has been in business for 25 years selling greeting cards, CDs, puzzles, and books. Like many independent companies, it’s primarily a brick-and-mortar setup, but owner Harris Healy is trying to bump up its online exposure. This month, Logos launched a virtual children’s story hour on Mondays, and it’s planning a similar book club for adults.
“If you don’t have the right technology, you might as well throw in the towel. Everything going forward in the world is going to be tech,” says Mr. Healy, who sold about 40 books online in the past two months, compared with 500 in the store in a normal two months.
An online presence allowed the venerable Strand Book Store to reopen early. After having been closed for five weeks, this granddaddy of New York’s independent bookstores began taking online orders on April 25 – weeks before any bookstore in the state was allowed to resume limited operations for on-site customers.
Despite the daunting challenges, many businesspeople are hardly ready to give up – such as contractor Aaron Bloom, whose Brooklyn company is Uncanny Creations. He was sick with the coronavirus for three weeks in March and April. But in the coming months, he’s hoping to get jobs from homebound workers who want designated nooks (or walls) where they can Zoom and do other tasks. He figures if he can show he’s immune to COVID-19, potential clients may prefer hiring him.
“I recognize that this is not a scientifically proven claim yet, but there’s reason to be hopeful,” he says. “That’s all I can do.”
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Editor’s note: The part of this story about Mr. Jonot's rent obligations has been updated.
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csmonitor--2020-05-29--A new stone soup: Idle restaurants fire up to feed the hungry

Ashish Shrestha is a volunteer who ’ s been delivering about 150 meals per week to people who are homeless , most of whom he already knows well from his job as an outreach worker .
“ Hunger is almost normalized now , ” he says .
“ The other day I delivered a food box , and the person said , ‘ Gosh , I ’ m so glad to have this .
I thought I would go hungry tonight.
’ ” But Mr. Shrestha adds , “ It ’ s not about fixing things .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , and helping them feel less isolated.
” It takes money , of course .
Individuals , foundations , and corporations stepped up so that the restaurants get paid $ 5 per meal , plus payroll and food costs .
The eateries buy from local fishers and farms when possible .
Social service agencies identify the recipients .
It sounds simple : Hatch an idea , call some friends .
But two months after Ellie Linen Low did just that , a handful of restaurants in Portland , Maine , is making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feed whoever is hungry .
As the global health crisis squeezes the resources of food pantries and adds people to unemployment rolls , a new nonprofit , Cooking for Community , is chipping away at these urgent needs .
In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic , Ellie Linen Low woke up one morning feeling extremely fortunate .
She and her family in Falmouth , Maine , were cozily hunkered down at home , in good health , refrigerator fully stocked .
At the same time , the mother of three felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The state had just shut down .
Friends , particularly those in the restaurant industry , had suddenly lost their jobs .
But Ms. Linen Low is used to thinking big .
Her background is in launching nonprofits , and she says she has always been passionate about “ connecting really smart people with great ideas , and then bringing everyone together to see what magic can happen.
” So she did just that .
In late March , she hatched a plan with far-reaching benefits : Raise funds to pay restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farms to feed hungry people .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
By mid-April , small masked-and-gloved crews at two Portland restaurants had fired up their stoves to make meals – about 450 that first week – for vulnerable populations .
Since then , seven more restaurants in this vibrant coastal city – named 2018 “ Restaurant City of the Year ” by Bon Appétit magazine – have joined the effort .
Partnerships with social agencies have been forged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donations have poured in – enabling the initiative to nearly double its production of fresh , packaged comfort food each week .
Today , Cooking for Community ( C4C ) provides just over 2,000 meals a week .
In its first two months , the grassroots initiative raised about $ 220,000 from individuals , foundations , and corporations .
It is buying crops from farmers , seafood from fishers , and keeping many of Greater Portland ’ s kitchen crews employed while cooking for hungry people .
While the global health crisis is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shelters – which are often short-staffed , overcrowded , or closed – C4C has sought to meet an urgent need .
The organization is distinguishing itself by attempting to reach anyone who ’ s hungry – people who are unemployed , homeless people , older adults , or immigrants experiencing food insecurity .
Ian Malin , an owner of Little Giant restaurant and now volunteer operations coordinator for C4C , says it just made sense for him to join the effort .
“ I thought , if I ’ m this scared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about my next meal , what must it be like for people on the streets who are isolated and unable to access normal food channels ?
” he says .
Mr. Malin realized he had everything he needed to get started – a commercial kitchen , a staff that wanted to work , and time on his hands since he wasn ’ t busy with regular customers .
The meals are thoughtfully prepared to be tasty at any temperature , easy to reheat if possible , and nutritious , says Mr. Malin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reimbursed for food and labor .
During the first week , cooks made fried chicken served with German potato salad and grapes .
Recently , the crew at Gather restaurant in Yarmouth created large batches of beef stew for residents at the YMCA .
Cooks might also tweak meals to suit the people they are serving .
For Muslims observing Ramadan , Mr. Malin commissioned halal meals from Istanbul Restaurant and Bakery , an immigrant-owned restaurant in Westbrook .
They “ knew just what to make , ” Mr. Malin says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it was exciting to help make that happen.
” Sometimes the meal deliveries provide an entree to other meaningful interactions .
Ashish Shrestha , a C4C volunteer and a peer outreach worker for social service agency Amistad , has seen the struggles of those living on the streets .
“ Hunger is almost normalized now , ” says Mr. Shrestha .
“ The other day I delivered a food box , and the person said , ‘ Gosh , I ’ m so glad to have this .
I thought I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know most of these people really well , ” he adds .
“ So I ’ m not just handing over a meal .
I ’ m also checking in with them.
” He ’ s been delivering about 150 C4C-made meals per week to people who are homeless .
Mr. Shrestha might suggest resources for medical help , substance-abuse recovery , or maybe just fetch them a mask or gloves from his car .
But most of all , he says , “ it ’ s not about fixing things .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listening to them , and helping them feel less isolated.
” Mr. Shrestha and others involved with C4C envision their work continuing beyond the COVID-19 crisis , and their frequent Zoom meetings often focus not only on the day-to-day but also on the future .
“ [ C4C ’ s ] work is about so much more than surviving a shock , ” says 20-something volunteer Emily Sun .
She and her mother were both looking for a way to make a difference .
“ We ’ re creating a model that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Also supporting the work are the social service agencies that identify the families and individuals needing assistance .
One of Ms. Linen Low ’ s first calls in late March was to Leslie Oster , director of the Blaine House , the governor ’ s residence .
With her experience in catering and working in hunger relief , Ms. Oster quickly signed up the first group of nonprofit partners .
“ Cooking for Community is a wonderful example of the ingenuity we need right now , ” says Phil Walsh , executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the C4C advisory board .
“ It is also building the relationships and the structures needed to navigate whatever comes next.
” Another member of the board is Barton Seaver , a chef and one of the world ’ s leading authorities on seafood .
He is also a proud Mainer , the father of a 3-year-old son , and someone who cares deeply about local food systems and access to them .
“ One of the things that excited me right off the bat about this organization , ” he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best of Maine – the place , the products , the people , including our quick-on-their-feet and utterly capable chefs , and it ’ s uplifting every fork in the chain.
” Mr. Seaver was mentored years ago by José Andrés , founder of World Central Kitchen , known for its international work feeding people in desperate need .
“ The greatest lesson I learned from José , ” recalls Mr. Seaver , “ is that the role of a chef could extend far beyond the kitchen and that chefs are , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in that food offers a window into so much of the human experience and condition.
” This lesson , Mr. Seaver adds , was learned when cooking alongside Mr. Andrés in the “ halcyon days when José was finding his voice and path outside of the kitchen.
” It ’ s one that has stuck with him , and he sees the efforts of Cooking for Community as exemplifying this expansive role of chefs while also building community and showing profound empathy for others .
“ It ’ s a beautiful way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he says .
“ What we ’ re doing is unique and timely and tangible and can serve as a model , ” says Ms. Linen Low .
“ It has already been of interest to people in other places.
” To learn more about “ Cooking for Community , ” visit www.cookingforcommunity.org .

Sometimes a concept clicks, and with lots of help you can address multiple problems. This new nonprofit combines funders, food businesses, and volunteers to ease food insecurity and keep some workers on the job.
Ashish Shrestha is a volunteer who’s been delivering about 150 meals per week to people who are homeless, most of whom he already knows well from his job as an outreach worker. “Hunger is almost normalized now,” he says. “The other day I delivered a food box, and the person said, ‘Gosh, I’m so glad to have this. I thought I would go hungry tonight.’” But Mr. Shrestha adds, “It’s not about fixing things. It’s about sitting with people, listening to them, and helping them feel less isolated.”
It takes money, of course. Individuals, foundations, and corporations stepped up so that the restaurants get paid $5 per meal, plus payroll and food costs. The eateries buy from local fishers and farms when possible. Social service agencies identify the recipients.
It sounds simple: Hatch an idea, call some friends. But two months after Ellie Linen Low did just that, a handful of restaurants in Portland, Maine, is making hundreds of meals every day to help feed whoever is hungry. As the global health crisis squeezes the resources of food pantries and adds people to unemployment rolls, a new nonprofit, Cooking for Community, is chipping away at these urgent needs.
In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Ellie Linen Low woke up one morning feeling extremely fortunate. She and her family in Falmouth, Maine, were cozily hunkered down at home, in good health, refrigerator fully stocked.
At the same time, the mother of three felt keenly aware of the hardship around her. The state had just shut down. Friends, particularly those in the restaurant industry, had suddenly lost their jobs.
But Ms. Linen Low is used to thinking big. Her background is in launching nonprofits, and she says she has always been passionate about “connecting really smart people with great ideas, and then bringing everyone together to see what magic can happen.”
Why We Wrote This Sometimes a concept clicks, and with lots of help you can address multiple problems. This new nonprofit combines funders, food businesses, and volunteers to ease food insecurity and keep some workers on the job.
So she did just that. In late March, she hatched a plan with far-reaching benefits: Raise funds to pay restaurants to cook meals with ingredients from Maine farms to feed hungry people.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
By mid-April, small masked-and-gloved crews at two Portland restaurants had fired up their stoves to make meals – about 450 that first week – for vulnerable populations.
Since then, seven more restaurants in this vibrant coastal city – named 2018 “Restaurant City of the Year” by Bon Appétit magazine – have joined the effort. Partnerships with social agencies have been forged, volunteers have stepped up, and donations have poured in – enabling the initiative to nearly double its production of fresh, packaged comfort food each week.
Today, Cooking for Community (C4C) provides just over 2,000 meals a week. In its first two months, the grassroots initiative raised about $220,000 from individuals, foundations, and corporations. It is buying crops from farmers, seafood from fishers, and keeping many of Greater Portland’s kitchen crews employed while cooking for hungry people.
While the global health crisis is affecting food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters – which are often short-staffed, overcrowded, or closed – C4C has sought to meet an urgent need. The organization is distinguishing itself by attempting to reach anyone who’s hungry – people who are unemployed, homeless people, older adults, or immigrants experiencing food insecurity.
Winky Lewis/Courtesy of Cooking for Community View caption Hide caption Chef Damian Sansonetti, of Chaval restaurant in Portland, Maine, started making meals in mid-April to be delivered to food insecure people. Conceived in March, the nonprofit Cooking for Community raises money to pay restaurants for their work and buy local ingredients when possible.
Food and labor costs covered
Ian Malin, an owner of Little Giant restaurant and now volunteer operations coordinator for C4C, says it just made sense for him to join the effort. “I thought, if I’m this scared in my own home with no worries about my next meal, what must it be like for people on the streets who are isolated and unable to access normal food channels?” he says.
Mr. Malin realized he had everything he needed to get started – a commercial kitchen, a staff that wanted to work, and time on his hands since he wasn’t busy with regular customers.
The meals are thoughtfully prepared to be tasty at any temperature, easy to reheat if possible, and nutritious, says Mr. Malin. Restaurants are paid $5 per meal and reimbursed for food and labor. During the first week, cooks made fried chicken served with German potato salad and grapes. Recently, the crew at Gather restaurant in Yarmouth created large batches of beef stew for residents at the YMCA.
Cooks might also tweak meals to suit the people they are serving. For Muslims observing Ramadan, Mr. Malin commissioned halal meals from Istanbul Restaurant and Bakery, an immigrant-owned restaurant in Westbrook. They “knew just what to make,” Mr. Malin says. “The food smelled so good, and it was exciting to help make that happen.”
Sometimes the meal deliveries provide an entree to other meaningful interactions. Ashish Shrestha, a C4C volunteer and a peer outreach worker for social service agency Amistad, has seen the struggles of those living on the streets.
“Hunger is almost normalized now,” says Mr. Shrestha. “The other day I delivered a food box, and the person said, ‘Gosh, I’m so glad to have this. I thought I would go hungry tonight.’”
“I know most of these people really well,” he adds. “So I’m not just handing over a meal. I’m also checking in with them.” He’s been delivering about 150 C4C-made meals per week to people who are homeless. Mr. Shrestha might suggest resources for medical help, substance-abuse recovery, or maybe just fetch them a mask or gloves from his car.
But most of all, he says, “it’s not about fixing things. It’s about sitting with people, listening to them, and helping them feel less isolated.”
Mr. Shrestha and others involved with C4C envision their work continuing beyond the COVID-19 crisis, and their frequent Zoom meetings often focus not only on the day-to-day but also on the future.
Winky Lewis/Courtesy of Cooking for Community View caption Hide caption Victoria Kelley picks up meals at Chaval restaurant, one of the first small businesses to make meals for Cooking for Community (C4C). Ms. Kelley works for the Pineland Branch YMCA in southern Maine, a social service agency partner of C4C.
“[C4C’s] work is about so much more than surviving a shock,” says 20-something volunteer Emily Sun. She and her mother were both looking for a way to make a difference. “We’re creating a model that could go far. It has infinite potential.”
Financial and logistical support
Also supporting the work are the social service agencies that identify the families and individuals needing assistance. One of Ms. Linen Low’s first calls in late March was to Leslie Oster, director of the Blaine House, the governor’s residence. With her experience in catering and working in hunger relief, Ms. Oster quickly signed up the first group of nonprofit partners.
“Cooking for Community is a wonderful example of the ingenuity we need right now,” says Phil Walsh, executive director of Maine Initiatives and a member of the C4C advisory board. “It is also building the relationships and the structures needed to navigate whatever comes next.”
Another member of the board is Barton Seaver, a chef and one of the world’s leading authorities on seafood. He is also a proud Mainer, the father of a 3-year-old son, and someone who cares deeply about local food systems and access to them.
“One of the things that excited me right off the bat about this organization,” he says, “is that it is showcasing the best of Maine – the place, the products, the people, including our quick-on-their-feet and utterly capable chefs, and it’s uplifting every fork in the chain.”
Mr. Seaver was mentored years ago by José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, known for its international work feeding people in desperate need. “The greatest lesson I learned from José,” recalls Mr. Seaver, “is that the role of a chef could extend far beyond the kitchen and that chefs are, in fact, almost akin to anthropologists, in that food offers a window into so much of the human experience and condition.”
This lesson, Mr. Seaver adds, was learned when cooking alongside Mr. Andrés in the “halcyon days when José was finding his voice and path outside of the kitchen.” It’s one that has stuck with him, and he sees the efforts of Cooking for Community as exemplifying this expansive role of chefs while also building community and showing profound empathy for others.
“It’s a beautiful way for Maine to face the nation,” he says.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“What we’re doing is unique and timely and tangible and can serve as a model,” says Ms. Linen Low. “It has already been of interest to people in other places.”
To learn more about “Cooking for Community,” visit www.cookingforcommunity.org.