Chef Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery + Café, along with the Massachusetts Conference for Women and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, will give out $250,000 in grants to women-owned restaurants across the state of Massachusetts amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The Massachusetts Conference for Women will provide $5,000 grants to 50 women-owned Massachusetts restaurants. Restaurateurs can apply for a grant online until Thursday, October 22.

According to Boston Business Journal, more than 255,000 restaurant employees in the state have been furloughed during the business shutdown, with 39% of those workers yet to be recalled to their jobs.

“Restaurants truly are the heart of our communities, where people can find comfort at a time when we all need to be able to enjoy some of our favorite traditions such as enjoying a special meal,” says Joanne Chang. “This initiative will allow a number of women in this hard-hit industry to thrive and provide nourishment to their communities.”

“This partnership will make a substantive difference for working women in the restaurant industry, which has suffered so deeply from Covid-19,” says Bob Luz, president and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. “We are thrilled that the Massachusetts Conference for Women is making this initiative possible to help women-owned businesses succeed and thrive.”