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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City campaign to aid beleaguered service-industry workers has raised more than $650,000 in total, organizers announced this week.
The Tip Your Server program was established by the Downtown Alliance, Salt Lake City Corporation, and most famously by "Modern Family" actor and local bar owner Ty Burrell. As the novel coronavirus forced many bars and restaurants to completely close in-person dining for a time this spring, Burrell and his city partners sought a way to directly support the impacted servers whose jobs vanished overnight.
In a statement, Downtown Alliance spokesman Ryan Mack said the campaign ended up raising $656,491 and has already dispersed $461,000 to employees in need.
Since April, 922 bar and restaurant workers have received payments of $500 each through the program, Mack said.
"All funds will be paid out to service industry employees in need of assistance," he said. "Based on the response rate of recipients, we expect funds to be paid out by early September."
Mack said the program will consider a second round of fundraising "if there is a further need" after the remaining money has been disbursed, but that the program is no longer actively fundraising.
