The entire restaurant industry has experienced the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, but BIPOC-owned businesses are at the greatest risk of permanent closure and economic setback. Black-owned businesses are closing at rates twice as fast as other businesses, and nearly half of Latinx business owners expect to permanently close within six months. Additionally, women-owned businesses disproportionately feel the impacts of COVID-19. "The social and financial inequities that many businesses experienced before the pandemic have only been amplified by the current global pandemic and economic crisis," said Tony Xu, ceo and co-founder of DoorDash. To truly empower and grow local economies, you must start with the entrepreneur. With a commitment to advancing diversity and equity starting with the restaurant industry, we're excited to provide business owners with specialized tools to thrive during one of the most challenging times of our generation."