MEMPHIS, Tenn. —
If you’re a black owned restaurant owner, there is a chance for you to win $25,000.
It’s no gimmick or scam, just simply a social media contest.
Discover is helping black businesses stay afloat during Covid-19 by awarding 200 $25,000 grants totaling 5 million dollars.
Roger Brown, owner of Meals for You in East Memphis told Local 24 News he was skeptical of the contest. However, after he received the $25,000 check last Friday, he couldn’t help but scream with excitement. He says the grant was a financial blessing that kept him from closing his doors.
“My goal was to make sure my children had it better than I did,“ Brown said.
As he interviewed with Local 24 News Weekend Anchor Annette Peagler, he started to cry when he spoke about how his family business has survived the pandemic. Meals for You was started by Brown and his wife, but his wife died shortly before the business launched. It’s now being operated by Brown and his daughter.
“But my daughter who graduated from University of University of TN Knoxville in restaurant and hotel management decided to move back to Memphis to help me run this restaurant,” Brown said. “Our catering side suffered because all of our weddings, larger events were cancelled that we had on the books."
Relying on day to day sales, his daughter came across an opportunity for the business.
“Our backs were up against the wall and it looked like it was over for meals for you. But God stepped in and made a way through Discover.com,” he said.
Meals for You is one of three Memphis based restaurants to win $25,00 through Discover’s Eat it Forward program. Discover randomly selects a business to receive the finances based on nominations made on social media. Brown believes promotion through the “Where Black Memphis Eats” Facebook page is how they received a lot of nominations.
“Last Friday I was in Restaurant Depo shopping and my daughter called me hollering daddy, daddy we got the check we got the check,” Brown stressed.
Another restaurant hoping to cash in is Alcenia’s in the historic Pinch District.
“It’s been over 60,000 restaurants that have closed and only by the Grace of God and only by Alcenia’s having the world's greatest customers that I am still here,” said BJ Chester-Tamayo, onwer of Alcenia’s. “25,000 dollars for my business, first of all it will keep the doors open. Let me bring back some more employees and help me to get the manufacturing part. “
“There were other grants that were offered that we didn’t qualify for and so this one was a blessing from God to fall into our hands, really when all we did was just do what we do and that is serve good food,” Brown said.
The program runs through October 31, 2020. You can nominate your favorite Black-owned restaurant through the following social media platforms:
Twitter : Tweet and mention the restaurant’s name and @Discover, #EatitForward and #Sweepstakes
Facebook; nominate a restaurant by tagging the restaurant’s name in the comments section of a post where Discover is asking for nominations. You can only enter one nomination per week
Instagram: Upload a photo taken by a user that is related to the restaurant you want to nominate and tag @Discover and put #EatitForward, #Sweepstakes and you can also tag the restaurant
Learn more by clicking here.