I have to be honest; I was not going to write today.

BECAUSE THE FUNK IS REAL.

School in Illinois was cancelled the rest of the year and I was hearing stories on how difficult it was for small businesses to secure PPP funds, if they were able to at all.

I don’t think there is any business owner, big or small, that WANTS to take money; they’d rather be open, hustling, and serving their customers. But they have to SURVIVE.

Then I heard on the news today— the average restaurant has enough cash to remain viable for ~16 days. The margins are so thin.

I froze.

We’ve been shut down for more than 33. Maybe more. #lostcount

I worked in Corporate America for nearly 20 years. By contrast, my father has been an entrepreneur his whole life.

He owns a restaurant in the suburbs, D&J Bistro, in Lake Zurich, Illinois. Here he is in action.

He has been open for 32 YEARS.

His place has outlasted pretty much everyone, through disasters, crisis, even through the Cubs World Series Championship year when no one was going out to eat at a French bistro!

My parents are immigrants to this country. They came to Chicago from Japan more than four decades ago, as the story goes, just for a little trip— and then they stayed.

I can’t imagine life in the early days was easy. They had to learn English. I never really saw credit cards growing up; everything was paid for by cash. Only what we could afford. My dad worked crazy hours— because that’s what the industry demands.

My mom stayed at home and shouldered the majority of the parenting for me and brother. I always say it’s a damn miracle that both of us went to college, post-grad, and are tax-paying, law-abiding citizens. As are my parents, who became naturalized citizens almost 20 years ago.

This is not a political post. But I did come to a realization today. (Probably a little late to the punch, but better late than never)

The Government cannot save everyone. There are many businesses, big and small, that will not make it. If we rely on funds or programs to help our friends and businesses out— they will not make it.

When everything was shut down— like every other small business owner, my dad and his business partner had HOURS to make a decision.

Do they close?
Try carry out/ delivery?
Would people order?
French food— while delicious— is not really known as carry out fare.

They made to call to give it a go.

Let me make this clear— I never wanted to be in the restaurant industry. It’s a really hard life. It’s hard on families, because when everyone else is celebrating— you are in a kitchen. I kind of resented it, to be honest. But as I grew older— of course, I started to understand the sacrifice, the hours, the drive.

But the restaurant has been part of the foundation that has made me who I am today, even if I didn’t work there. It’s paid for my education, it put food on our table, clothes on our backs. Essentially, the American Dream.

D&J had a website, but it was static and couldn’t take online payments. Since I had been tinkering around with my own business website— we got a new one up within a day in order to take online payments.

“Gift Cards, Dad, people will buy gift cards!” I told him.

I’ve been *busting* into suburban mom Facebook groups to spread the word via social media. I share so many posts with my own FB friends that I am sure everyone is getting sick of it— but if people are selling makeup, oils, supplements— well, then I figure I can too. The support has been incredible.

I am going to digress a little- stay with me.

My youngest daughter takes a toddler music class. Her teacher’s name is Ann Torralba, and she is known as Little Miss Ann!

She’s really awesome— a former CPS teacher, mom, a full time musician— and she not only teaches at the Old Town School of Music (a Chicagoland mainstay), but plays gigs all over the place…even Lollapalooza and SXSW. She’s on Spotify!

I mean, if I was on Spotify, the whole world would know about it.

Since the shutdown, Ann has turned to FB and Instagram to host virtual concerts. They are everyday at 10am and she alternates the platforms. Musicians, performers— we know they are hurting too. No more concerts, at least not for now. And no more classes.

Her virtual concerts are free, but she takes donations, and we tune in at least 3-4 times a week to jam. My littlest rocks out and dances up a storm.

Another friend was hosting a virtual concert with a popular kids musician— so I thought.. hey— no reason why we couldn’t do the same? So we set it up for Sunday (4/19/2020)— a little pre-Earth Day Jam for the kids.

Just a $10 donation, and we thought it would be so cool to have a little show with all of our friends and family on, right?

Back to my dad …

D&J decided to join forces with a local hospital, Advocate Good Shepherd— for their “Meals for Heroes” program. People could “donate” a meal for the frontliners— and his team would prepare and take all of the donated meals over.

We put up the link last Friday.

TODAY, his team took 300 meals to the hospital.

During an April snowstorm.

Wouldn’t you be BEYOND HAPPY to eat that after your shift?

The even better news is that they’re doing it again next Friday— and already have donations for 150+ and counting.

SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANN? Keep Reading.

Today, Ann reached out to me and said she wanted to donate half of her proceeds from Sunday’s virtual jam to my dad’s program.

Talk about paying it forward. And I realized— all we can do to help these small businesses and our friends, is we need to help OURSELVES. We need to take it into our own hands to get it done.

I am not an award-winning musician, nor am I an award-winning chef.

What am I good at? Powerpoint. Storytelling. 18 years in Corporate America and 2 years as a journalist, remember?

So I decided to write this blog and create this powerpoint graphic— just look at the chain of goodness that results from one act.

Look at how far than $10 donation takes us.

If you have money— this is how you can amplify it!

If you don’t have money— you can write a kind note of encouragement. You can write a Yelp review. You can “share” a post on Facebook and spread the word. You can put up signs in your windows and sing for the frontliners. You can say, “thank you.”

So today was my realization that while everyday might not feel productive— we can, and SHOULD all contribute.

Do it your own way. You do you.

My deepest gratitude to everyone who has reached out and donated. Not enough words for me to express what is in my heart.

Be well, stay well,

Jean