The Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation has established an account to accept donations to assist employees of Coach’s Grill & Bar who have been displaced by the recent fire.
With 28 full- and part-time employees suddenly out of work, and an unknown timeline of what’s next for Coach’s, co-owners Brett Kessler and Sara Schnakenberg were concerned about how to help their employees get through the next several weeks with their source of income gone.
Kessler conveyed that, “I know that Sara and I will be able to work through this process, so we are okay, but our employees are like family and our concern right now is how can we help them through the next few weeks and make sure they aren’t placed in a difficult financial position because the restaurant is gone.”
While the employees begin the process of working through the unemployment insurance system and looking for new job opportunities, there will be a gap in their income that they could use a little help to get through.
Jeanine McKenna, President and CEO of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce said, “We reached out to the Coach’s family to see how we could be of assistance, and their first concern was their employees. Many friends and customers have offered their assistance; however, they were unsure how to best receive that support. We immediately knew organizing a fund to help their employees was a way for our office and others to show their support.”
Utilizing the established Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation as a destination for donations allows contributors to make a tax-deductible gift to support the Coach’s employees following this unexpected event.
Donations can be made out to the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation with a notation that the money is earmarked for Coach’s employee assistance or Fire Relief fund. Checks can be sent to the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, 719 Commercial St., Emporia, KS 66801.