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Jessica Rodriguez just wants to stay open.
So the owner of struggling Empanadaville in Mastic Beach has turned to GoFundMe, hoping that a fundraiser for her embattled eatery will keep the business “above water” and remain in operation, if only for a little while longer.
She said rising costs have crushed her Puerto Rican food take out restaurant that has been operating for nearly a decade.
“Prices have skyrocketed and we cannot keep changing our prices to keep up with increasing costs,” she posted on the GoFundMe page established this week. “We are slated to close our doors on 12/31/23. We just don’t have the money or the business coming in that is needed to stay open.”
Empanadaville serves up authentic specialties, such as empanadas, alcapurria, rellenos de papa, sorullos, among many other Puerto Rican staples.
She called the fundraising effort her “last resort.”
You can click here to donate to Rodriguez’s GoFundMe.
“If our goal isn’t reached, whatever donations made will go towards starting up and running solely catering under EmpanadaVille,” she wrote. “If our goal is surpassed then that will allow us to keep our doors open even longer!
“Thank you so much for keeping Empanadaville alive one way or another!” She added.
Rodriguez set a goal to raise $6,500. So far, she has raised almost $700 via 14 donations.
Video from better times in 2019
