FREEHOLD – Members of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders launched a program to support county restaurants which are currently experiencing tremendous loss due to the current protocols in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
There will be a new website TakeOutInMonmouth.com where those living in a particular area can see what restaurants are open to do take out.
During a live-streamed press conference on the county’s YouTube channel and Monmouth County government’s Facebook page, Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone outlined the details of the new initiative to be implemented.
“I spoke to all the mayors today and our program is going to be called “Take Out In Monmouth.” We are gathering all the data. We’ve already contacted our municipalities and our local chambers of commerce. We will be reaching out to all the businesses and those who have the data on all the restaurants that are still operating take out in their municipalities,” he said.
“I am sure (the restaurants) are minimizing their staff so that means people are unemployed but they are trying to keep their doors open. I can’t thank those owners enough that they are trying to make it work but I also understand those that cannot do it. Some people are just not set up to do that so hopefully this initiative for those that are will help and assist them.” Arnone said.
The Freeholder Director added, “we are actually creating a bag that I hope to show publicly which is a bag that we are going to give the businesses which is another expense that they don’t have to do. A Take Out In Monmouth bag. I hope other counties follow this.”
All operating restaurants in the state are only open to take out service while the current protocols remain in place restricting any form of public gatherings. Some restaurants have had to close as a result of the health crisis.
Arnone also provided an update during the news conference about the COVID-19 situation in Monmouth County and County operations.
“This is going to end one day. Hopefully sooner than later. Another big problem we have is our business climate and it is going to be devastating with what we are dealing with,” Arnone said.
He added, “The state of New Jersey is coming out with their initiatives, we have the Small Business Association paycheck protection program, the CARES Act and other initiatives to protect our business climate.”
Arnone noted that in addition to the restaurants there are “growers of produce that are transporting these vegetables to some of these still operating take-out places.” He advised residents to go to the county website GrownInMonmouth.com to get information about that.
“These are some of the initiatives that we are going to build on and we are going to hopefully move forward with assisting our seniors,” Arnone said. He added that Freeholder Deputy Director Susan M. Kiley “is working very hard working with her department liaison for getting all the data for the senior areas that need assistance and need food. We are also going to rely on the data from our municipalities.”
“The good thing about Monmouth County here is the partnership that we have. I have to thank each and every mayor the way they are handling their situation and this issue in their town. Everyone is different but at the end of the day we are all looking together and working together to get the right outcome,” Arnone said.
