Meet Minneapolis is a proud partner of The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund and is dedicated to supporting hospitality businesses in Minneapolis and beyond.

Minneapolis (Feb. 12, 2026) – The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund, a community-led initiative established to support Minnesota’s hospitality industry, is proud to announce a National Day of Giving on February 18 with the goal of raising one million dollars for the cause. Restaurants and businesses nationwide are invited to show their support by donating a portion of their proceeds or requesting guest donations. Individuals and food lovers are encouraged to donate directly as well. This effort will raise funds to provide critical relief to restaurants across Minnesota during an unprecedented period of uncertainty and economic distress.

"Our restaurants don’t exist without immigrants – it’s that simple,” said Stephanie March, longtime Minneapolis resident, journalist, and co-founder of The Salt Cure Fund. “From the finest dining to the coolest food truck, from the chefs creating culinary wizardry to the farmers growing our food, our entire food culture is intertwined with immigrants. To lose these restaurants, this food scene, is to lose the very best of who we are."

Minnesota’s dining scene is at a breaking point. A combination of neighborhood instability, declining sales, and safety concerns has forced many establishments to the brink of permanent closure. Industry leaders in Minnesota consider this to be a COVID-level crisis, as restaurant revenues in January fell as much as 50 percent compared to a typical January – already one of the industry’s slowest times of year.

"It’s not time for us to end,” said Tammy Wong, owner of Rainbow Chinese on Eat Street. “I have been here since 1987, serving food to our neighbors, teaching cooks in my kitchen who go on to open their own restaurants that get big awards. We need to be able to do these things, for our city and for our community. What’s been done to us over the last few months is taking away our future.”

The National Day of Giving represents a collective effort to help preserve the independent restaurants that serve as essential gathering spaces and community anchors for neighborhoods across Minnesota. On February 18, restaurants and bars across the country can show their support by donating a portion of the day’s profits or by asking their guests to donate directly. All donations are tax-deductible through the Minneapolis Foundation, a 501(c)3 community foundation with 110 years of experience in getting resources into the hands of those who need it most.

Minnesota hospitality businesses will be able to apply for grants through The Salt Cure Fund to help cover payroll, rent or mortgage payments and other urgent needs. The fund prioritizes small, independent concepts that often lack the platform to fundraise on their own or are reluctant to do so in fear of becoming targets and putting their teams at risk.

For more information about participating in the National Day of Giving or contributing to The Salt Cure Fund, visit https://thesaltcurefund.org/ or follow on Instagram @thesaltcurefund.

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About The Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund:
The Salt Cure Restaurant Relief Fund is a nonprofit initiative dedicated to supporting independent restaurants in Minnesota facing severe financial hardship. This fund, held by the Minneapolis Foundation, is guided by a collective of industry-adjacent and community-focused advocates. The Fund provides grants to locally owned restaurants and other hospitality-related businesses to help cover urgent needs such as payroll, rent, lease obligations, and operational costs amid unprecedented challenges. To learn more, visit thesaltcurefund.org.

About the Minneapolis Foundation:
The Minneapolis Foundation drives collective action to realize strong, vibrant communities. The Foundation cultivates generosity by taking action on the greatest civic, social, and economic needs – partnering with nonprofits, facilitating grantmaking, driving research and advocacy, and providing services to donors seeking to make a difference in their communities. Learn more at minneapolisfoundation.org.

Donors or foundations interested in contributing can direct checks to:

Minneapolis Foundation
800 IDS Center
80 S 8th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Memo: Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund
Federal Tax ID: 41-6029402

Donor Advised Funds should direct their grant recommendation to:
Minneapolis Foundation
Memo: Salt Cure Restaurant Recovery Fund