Four Rockland restaurants receive initial grant program funding

Four restaurants were named as the first wave of recipients of the Reviving Rockland Restaurants Grant Program, which allocates funds to local eateries for past or future expenses related to outdoor dining Covid-19 mitigation equipment.

Cornetta”™s Restaurant and Marina in Piermont, Diddy”™s Soul Food and Lounge in Suffern, Lynch”™s Restaurant in Stony Point and AquaTerra Grille in Pearl River were the first restaurants to reach the contract phase of the grant program, with awards ranging from $17,000 to the maximum $25,000. The program is still accepting applications, with eligible entities including restaurants, food stands, food trucks, bars, saloons, lounges, taverns, bakeries, delis, cafes, breweries, wineries and other similar food and beverage service businesses.

Funding for the Reviving Rockland Restaurants Grant Program comes from $500,000 of the $63 million that Rockland County received in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding.

“I”™m proud to reimburse restaurants for unexpected costs forced upon them by the pandemic and this program will help ensure their economic recovery stays on track,” said County Executive Ed Day in announcing the grant funds.

County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. added, “Restaurants stepped up and did everything in their power stay open for business through the pandemic and we are committed to doing whatever we can to help them. This grant will remain open until the funding is exhausted. We encourage all restaurants to apply as soon as they can.”

Photo: Cornetta”™s Restaurant and Marina, courtesy of the restaurant’s Facebook page