Guy Fieri has raised over $20 million for out-of-work restaurant workers.

Guy Fieri Raises $20 Million For Out-Of-Work Restaurant WorkersMatt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

The celebrity chef and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation are partnering up to send $500 to 40,000 restaurant workers across the country. The donation is a part of the new Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.

“I started thinking about my brothers and sisters in the restaurant business, and a bunch of restaurants that I was closing — we gotta do something,” Fieri tells TMZ.

“I started sending personal video invitations to all the heavy-hitter CEOs that are involved in the restaurant business, and said ‘listen, Pepsi, Coke, UberEats, all of you, we need to raise some money.'”

“As long as the money comes in, we’re going to continue to give these grants,” Fieri added.

NRAEF President Rob Gifford spoke about the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund in a statement: “During these challenging times, the NRAEF’s mission to support the industry’s workforce is more important than ever. With Guy as our champion and the support of so many generous companies, we can help get our family of restaurant workers back on their feet.”

The unemployment rate soared to 14.7% in April, in the United States, tripling that of March. An estimated 20.5 million jobs were lost.

[Via]