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ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Royal Nepal Restaurant collected about $7,435 during the Labor Day fundraiser it held for flood relief in Nepal and has sent $6,150 to the Nepal Relief Fund, the restaurant said in a video posted Thursday.
The difference between the two figures reflects taxes and other necessary deductions, the restaurant said. It posted a screenshot confirming the transfer.
The Mount Vernon Avenue restaurant, which is normally closed Mondays, opened Sept. 7 and pledged the day's entire sales to relief efforts through the Nepal government's official channels. Its staff volunteered their time.
The restaurant had set a $5,000 goal. In a video posted Wednesday, it thanked everyone who came, donated, volunteered or shared the appeal, and said the day had exceeded that target. Photos and video the restaurant shared from Sept. 7 show a full dining room, with every table occupied.
"The fundraiser was truly successful, and we are so grateful to every single person who came, donated, volunteered, shared the message, and stood with Nepal during this difficult time," the restaurant said.
In Thursday's post, the restaurant said it hopes the money reaches people in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, among the districts hardest hit, and provides safety, shelter and support. It said it hopes government relief organizations will continue to show how the funds are being used to help affected families.
The scale of what they were raising for
The flash floods late last month destroyed roughly 7,500 homes in Nepal and left another 20,000 needing repair, according to the Associated Press, which reported that at least 12 hydropower projects were damaged. More than 1,300 people had been reported dead in Nepal and Tibet as of this week, with about 5,000 still missing.
Nepal's disaster authorities put preliminary damage at $2.56 billion, close to a fifth of the country's roughly $14 billion annual budget, the AP reported. Some estimates of the full rebuilding cost run to $4 billion or $5 billion. The disaster is an early test for a government that took office in March after a year of political upheaval, and Nepal has asked for international help.
Against that, $6,150 from a restaurant on Mount Vernon Avenue is a small sum. It is also a full day's work from a staff that gave it away.
Royal Nepal said it would keep posting updates on the transfer and on how the money is being spent.
The restaurant is at 3807 Mount Vernon Ave.
Ryan Belmore is an Alexandria resident and the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips, feedback, and story ideas to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
