| Name | Briana |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Garza |
| Home Address | 6132 E. Brainerd Rd Chattanooga, Hamilton 37421 United States |
| Organization Name | Chatt Taste Food Tours |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Owner |
| Organization Address | 6132 E. Brainerd Rd Chattanooga, Hamilton 37421 United States |
| Website | https://www.ChattTaste.com |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 4237770192 |
| Alternate Phone Number | |
| Email Address | chatttaste@gmail.com |
| Alternate Email Address | chatttaste@gmail.com |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | Chatt Taste Food Tours drives traffic to local restaurants during non-peak hours to increase bottom lines. Chatt Taste has historically transported over 1100 guests to local eateries. Of the 1100+ guests, 67% experienced the restaurant for the first time through our culinary experiences. Chatt Taste has recently acquired a mobile dining car through the help of TVFCU, Community Foundation, and Visitor's Bureau as a collaborative approach to assist restaurants with driving traffic. The current limitation of the mobile dining car is the ability to adequately supply PPE for tours guides and guests to limit exposure of COVID-19 and the additional variants that are expected to arise. With adequate funding, a sanitation plan can be established, workers rehired, and workshare programming established. $4000 of funding will be allocated to PPE for tours guides and guests to limit exposure of COVID-19 without causing ticket pricing to increase - discouraging participation. $4500 of funding will be allocated to the rehire and retraining of workers + paid off time for COVID testing and vaccination time. The remaining $6500 will be allocated for the establishment of a Work Share Program to maintain employment in the event of another COVID variant surge in lieu of lay offs. The increased safety and tour frequency via mobile dining car will also allow Chatt Taste to employ other food & beverage staff layed off from parterning businesses. Prior to COVID Chatt Taste employed 3 staff, during COVID 1 part time staff, with funding we are in position to hire and maintain employment of 7 additional staff persons. Affected industry - Restaurant/ Food & Beverage/ Tourism |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | My project meets the requirments of the American Rescue Plan through it's commitment to support small businesses in econcomically disadvantaged areas that are minority-owned. |
| Where would your project take place? | Throughout the Downtown Chattanooga Footprint. Restaurants impacted - Uncle Larry's, Chatt Smoke House, Neutral Ground, Poppytons Patisserie, Ukko Chattanooga, Chatter Box etc. |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 15000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | 2000 - funding provided by Visit Chattanooga (Chattanooga Tourism) |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | 86% |
| If funded, when would your project start? | March 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | Sanitation plan established 3.31.22 and will be ongoing to establish/maintain employment. |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | Increase in employment (From 1 to 7 employees by April 30, 2022) Increase in duration of employment (Average of 9 months to 2 years of 80% employment) Increase in traffic to local businesses (1100+ guests historically to 2000 guests by Dec. 31, 2022) Establishment of Short Term Compensation (STC) to avoid layoffs/ IE committment to reduction of hours instead of layoffs. |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | Chatt Taste currenlty provides quarterly performance evaluations to parterning locations. These performance evaluations will be shared openly via our website for any interested entity. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | The largest impact of this project will be to increase cash flow for small locally owned restaurants through consumer traffic. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | Chatt Taste routinely shares impact metrics through our social media platforms, email campaigns, and videography. |
| Name | Briana Garza |
| Contact Information | 4237770192 |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | |