Coronavirus: SoCal restaurant pivots operations to stay afloat, introduces new community initiative

ARCADIA, Calif. (KABC) -- Neighborhood restaurants are the anchors of every great community, but they are suffering during the coronavirus pandemic.

Arcadia's Sushi Kiyosuzu is pivoting its operations to stay afloat, introducing a new community initiative called "The Power of 10."

"It's the concept that $10,000 can help a restaurant prepare 1,000 meals to then donate to those who need them," said David Wang, Los Angeles director of The Power of 10.

The food is going to healthcare workers and others in need, such as the Foothill Unity Center in Pasadena. The initiative pays the restaurant through donations.

"They're able to pay for rent and employees, and that's especially important in this time period when a lot of employees are getting furloughed," said Mirai Nagasu, whose parents own the restaurant.

Nagasu is an Olympic figure skater and former ABC7 intern. She says she learned about the "Power of 10" through a friend of a friend and encouraged her parents to try it after learning how desperate business had become.

"They were worried. That's something they kept from me," said Nagasu.

Nagasu spent her childhood in the restaurant and has recruited friends to help deliver meals.

The Power of 10 launched last month in Washington, D.C. The Nagasu's restaurant is the first Los Angeles-area business to take part.