The Skechers Restaurant COVID Relief Fund, launched at the beginning of December, announced this week that it has granted $600,000 to 28 Manhattan Beach restaurants.

“Manhattan Beach never ceases to surprise me with their generosity," said Skechers President Michael Greenberg in a statement. "The endless support and well-wishes pouring in since we announced the Skechers Restaurant COVID Relief Fund has been astounding. Over $600,000 in grants have been gifted to twenty-eight restaurants in Manhattan Beach. These funds not only validate the care residents have for local restaurants, but also showcases the vibrancy of our community. Restaurant owners and employees shared heartbreaking stories of their hurdles, so we hope that this campaign started by Skechers and the Skechers Foundation will help carry our local restaurants through these unprecedented times."

Skechers created the COVID relief fund as a matching grant program to support struggling Manhattan Beach restaurants, with a pledge to contribute up to $500,000 to the fund.

The fund came about as Manhattan Beach restaurants continue to struggle to survive mandated pandemic closures. With the suspension of indoor dining, several restaurants have shut down and many continue to fear for their survival.

"By no means are we out of the woods yet," said Greenberg. "We must continue the restaurant relief mission as the ban on outdoor dining in Los Angeles has been extended and will likely continue until February. We ask the community to continue to support local restaurants and the Skechers Restaurant COVID Relief Fund, and as we get through this together, the enchantment of our community will return stronger than ever before.”

Donations to the Skechers Restaurant COVID Relief Fund aim to assist in helping the restaurants keep their staff employed, and helping to pay the rent and operations for the most severely impacted restaurants in Downtown Manhattan Beach and the North End.