NEW YORK CITY—As the city's restaurants take tentative steps toreopen according to city and state guidance, some are poised toreceive a little help from a new initiative aimed at this retailcategory.

Brookfield Properties has unveiled a new $1 million partnershipwith Union Square Hospitality Group and Rethink to help reactivateNew York City restaurants as well as provide more than 125,000meals to food-insecure families of the South Bronx. USHG willlaunch the partnership with Marta, Intersect by Lexus, and UnionSquare Events, while also developing a mentorship program forsmaller restaurants that participate. Restaurants areinvited to apply to be part of the program throughRethink, which is providing program participants with up to $40,000to stay open during the COVID-19 outbreak. Rethink is a nonprofitthat has turned restaurants into commissaries during COVID-19 andhas provided 1,000,000 meals for New Yorkers.

"The COVID-19 crisis has intensified New York City's need foremergency food assistance and devastated its restaurant industry.This new program is designed to help address both of theseemergencies by reactivating local kitchens, helping them learn tonavigate socially-distanced operations, and providing meals forvulnerable New Yorkers in need during the pandemic," saidBrookfield Property Group Managing Partner Ben Brown. Brownexplained that Danny Meyer and Union Square Hospitality Groupprovided the program's initial locations, while Rethink isadministering the program. Brookfield provided $1 million in seedfinancing for the initiative.